T  II  B 


MEMORIAL    SERMON 


PREACHED   IN    THE 


igMtrin-JJIaa  Slwitnu  Joust 


ON  THE  EAST  SABBATH  OF  ITS  OCCUPANCY  BY 


THE  SECOND  BAPTIST  CHURCH 


DANIEL    C.    EDDY, 

PASTOR. 


Ittt  itit  ^ppenbW. 


BOSTON: 

(I  RAVES    &    YOUNG,    24    COIINIIILL 

1  8  6  5. 


THE 


MEMORIAL    SERMON 


PREACHED   IN    THE 


laJMn-patt  Utwimjj  Manst 


ON  THE  LAST  SABBATH  OF  ITS  OCCUPANCY  BY 


THE  SECOND  BAPTIST  CHURCH 


BY 

DANIEL    C.    EDDY, 


xth   ixxx   ^ppcnbiv. 


BOSTON: 

GRAVES    &    YOUNG,    24    CORNIIILL. 

18G5. 


MEMO  E I  A  L     S  E  E  M  0  N. 


Thou  shalt  remember  all  the  way  which  the  Lord  thy  God  led  thee. — Deut.  viii.  2. 

This  hour  is  crowded  with  contending  emotions.  It  comes 
to  us  burdened  with  the  memories  of  the  past,  and  freighted 
with  hopes  of  the  future.  It  recalls  old  associations,  brings 
up  old  faces,  and  renews  forgotten  realities.  This  old  Church, 
after  being  on  this  spot  more  than  a  hundred  years,  is  about 
to  take  down  its  tabernacle,  fold  up  its  tent,  and  remove 
to  another  hpme.  This  is  the  last  Sabbath  service  we  are  to 
enjoy  within  these  hallowed  walls.  This  is  the  last  sermon 
that  will  ever  be  preached  from  this  pulpit.  This  is  the  last 
time  that  Baldwin-Place  Church  will  ever  come  here  to  gather 
the  manna  as  it  falls  from  God.  This  is  the  last  convocation 
of  this  sacred  body  on  this  clear  old  spot. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  Church  can  go  out  of  this 
place  without  tears  of  sorrow  and  sighs  of  regret.  There 
are  ties  severed  to-day  that  scores  of  years  have  formed. 
There  are  associations  broken  up  which  have  been  strength- 
ening for  a  whole  generation.  Nobody  can  forget  to-day  that 
Thomas  Baldwin  and  James  D.  Knowles  used  to  preach  here  ; 
that  hundreds  were  gathered  to  Christ  here  under  the  labors 
of  Baron  Stow;  that  for  more  than  a  century  the  standard  of 
Orthodoxy  was  kept  flying  here  amid  the  storms  of  error 
and  opposition.  The  men  who  have  been  born  to  God  here, 
and  who  have  worshipped  at  this  altar,  cannot  be  forgotten. 
This  day  seems  to  be  a  great  gallery  of  portraits,  along  which 
we  walk,  looking  upon  the  faces  and  forms  of  those  who 
once    carried    the    burdens  and  lightened    tlie    labors  of  the 


Church,  and  who  died  in  hope  of  the  imperishable  glory. 
The  records  of  this  Church  tell  us  that  Coleman  and  Wheelock, 
Adoniram  Judson,  Sen.,  Henry  J.  Ripley,  and  Irah  Chase,  were 
once  members  here  ;  that  about  sixty  ministers  have  presided 
over,  or  gone  out  from,  this  body ;  the  latter,  some  to  the  dis- 
tant East,  where,  amid  the  spicy  breezes,  men  worship  gods 
of  stocks  and  stones;  some  to  the  West,  making  its  prairies 
blossom  as  the  rose  ;  and  others  to  the  vacant  places  around 
us  here,  blessing  New  England  with  their  presence  and  their 
piety. 

The  Baldwin-Place  Church  originated  in  a  love  of  the  Gos- 
pel and  an  adherence  to  the  truth.  From  the  28th  of  March, 
1665,  when  Thomas  Gould,  Thomas  Osborne,  Edward  Drinker, 
and  their  associates,  covenanted  to  walk  together,  and  con- 
stituted the  First  Baptist  Church,  there  existed  no  other  until 
1743,  when  James  Bownd,  John  Dabney,  and  others,  entered 
into  covenant,  and  organized  this  Church.  The  cause  of 
the  separation  does  not  appear  to  have  been  any  conviction 
that  a  second  Church  was  wanted  to  supply  the  demands  of  a 
growing  population,  or  meet  the  exigencies  of  a  city  increas- 
ing in  extent  and  influence.  The  origin  of  this  body  was  a 
protest  against  what  its  founders  deemed  to  be  a  departure 
from  the  Gospel  on  the  part  of  the  pastor  of  the  Church  then 
existing. 

After  the  death  of  Bev.  Elisha  Callender,  in  1738,  the  First 
Church  sent  to  England,  and  called  Rev.  Jeremiah  Condy  to 
the  vacant  pastorate,  and  he  was  inducted  into  the  office  on 
the  14th  of  February,  1739.  Shortly  after  his  arrival,  some  of 
the  older  and  more  devout  members  began  to  feel  the  want  of 
spirituality  on  the  part  of  the  minister,  and  others  discovered 
a  looseness  in  the  doctrines  he  taught  in  the  pulpit.  They 
remonstrated  with  him  without  effect,  and  then  appealed  to 
the  membership  ;  but  the  appeal  was  powerless.  The  Church 
had  imbibed  the  false  views  of  the  pastor ;  or  his  personal 
influence  over  them  was  so  great  that  the  aggrieved  breth- 
ren could  obtain  no  satisfaction.  On  the  29th  of  September, 
1742,  they  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Church,  in  which  they 
gave  their  reasons  for  withdrawing  from  the  communion,  and 
separating  themselves  from  their  brethren.     They  stated  the 


grounds  on  which  they  were  dissatisfied  with  Mr.  Condy's 
doctrine,  and  expressed  the  belief  that  he  was  an  "  Arme- 
nian," a  "  Free  Wilier,"  holding  to  a  Falling  from  Grace,  and 
denying  Original  Sin.  They  declared  their  helief  that  he  had 
denied  the  doctrines  of  Election  and  Predestination,  and 
expressed  their  dissatisfaction  with  his  way  of  thinking  on 
that  most  solemn  doctrine  of  Regeneration.  These,  and 
several  other  points,  they  made  in  their  letter,  and  called  on 
the  Church  to  declare  themselves  on  the  following  articles  :  — 

"  1.  Eternal  Election. 

"  2.  Original  Sin. 

"  3.  Grace  in  Conversion. 

"  4.  Justification  by  Faith. 

"  5.  The  Saint's  Perseverance." 

They  professed  themselves  willing  to  return  to  their  places 
in  the  Church  as  soon  as  the  body  should  put  itself  right  on 
the  great  doctrines  of  the  Bible.  "  The  Baptist  Church," 
they  said,  "  where  you  at  present  worship,  was  founded  on 
this  principle,  —  Free  Grace;  or,  to  vary  the  phrase,  your 
godly  ancestors,  the  first  founders  of  the  said  Church,  were 
strict  Calvinists  as  to  the  points  afore-mentioned  ;  nor  would 
they  by  any  means,  as  we  can  prove,  suffer  a  Free-Wilier  or 
Arminian,  if  they  knew  a  person  so  to  be,  to  join  with  the 
Church.  It  is  high  time,  we  think,  —  and  we  hope  you  will 
so  think  also,  —  to  know  what  are  the  principles  of  the  pres- 
ent Baptist  Church  in  Boston,  especially  as  it  is  feared  and 
rumored  that  this  Church  is,  in  part,  gone  off  from  the  faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saints,  ■ — the  faith  by  which  your  pious 
predecessors  overcame  the  world,  and  which,  in  them,  it  is 
abundantly  manifest,  worked  by  love.  This,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  they  held  fast  in  one  spirit  and  with  one  mind,  being 
in  nothing  terrified  by  their  adversaries.  In  this  faith  your 
dear  godly  fathers  lived,  we  know,  exemplary,  and  died 
triumphantly. 

"  We  would  not  be  understood  to  think  or  mean,  by  what 
has  been  said,  that  truly  because  the  Baptist  Church  was 
once  Calvinistical,  or  that  because  your  godly  ancestors  were 
of  these  and  such  opinions,  therefore  you  are  obliged  to  be  so 
too,  without  searching,  proving,  and  thinking  for  yourselves. 


(•» 

By  no  means.  We  utterly  disclaim  such  unworthy  sentiments. 
On  the  contrary,  we  would  have  all  men  use  the  like  liberty 
as  we  do  ;   namely,  to  judge  for  ourselves." 

To  this  letter  the  Church  made  no  reply  ;  and,  in  the  October 
following,  the  brethren  opened  an  independent  place  of  wor- 
ship, at  the  house  of  James  Bownd,  corner  of  Sheafe  and 
Snowhill  Streets.  This  house  is  still  standing,  and  the  very 
room  in  which  the  Church  was  formed  is  now  occupied  by 
one  of  the  members,  —  Lydia  Ames,  who  was  received  to  fel- 
lowship Nov.  1,  1818,  during  the  ministry  of  him  who  stands 
in  the  history  of  this  body  as  pre-eminently  the  man  of  God. 
The  house  is  an  irregular-shaped  wooden  building,  the  inte- 
rior of  which  has  been  much  altered  since  Mr.  Bownd  died. 
Many  a  precious  season  did  they  there  enjoy,  as,  without  a 
minister,  without  an  organization,  they  studied  the  Bible  and 
looked  to  God  for  wisdom.  This  movement  ripened  into  a 
Church,  which  was  organized  July  27,  1743.  Seven  persons 
—  James  Bownd,  John  Dabney,  Thomas  Boucher,  John  Proc- 
ter, Ephraim  Bosworth,  Ephraim  Bownd,  and  Thomas  Lewis  — 
united  in  covenant,  and  declared  themselves  a  Church  of 
Christ,  and  the  house  of  James  Bownd  became  the  sanctuary 
of  the  infant  body.  "  The  records  of  that  solemn  transac- 
tion," says  Dr.  Stow,*  "  most  clearly  indicate  that  those  seven 
believers  had  a  proper  sense  of  the  responsibility  which  they 
were  assuming,  and  of  their  entire  dependence  upon  the  di- 
vine blessing  for  the  success  of  their  enterprise.  They 
knew  not  that  they  should  have  the  sympathy  of  any  human 
being  beyond  their  own  limited  circle  ;  and  they  had  reason  to 
expect  that  the  pastor  and  the  Church  whom  they  then  slowly 
and  reluctantly  left  would  treat  them  as  disorderly  schismatics. 
No  minister  was  present  to  cheer  them  by  a  word  of  encour- 
agement; no  council  was  convened  to  extend  the  hand  of  fra- 
ternal fellowship.  They  stood  alone  in  the  presence  of  the 
Head  of  the  Church,  and  pledged  themselves  to  him  and  to 
each  other,  that  they  would  maintain  unshakingly  and  to  the 
last  the  standard  around  which  they  had  rallied,  —  the  standard 
of  evangelical  truth  and  holiness." 

*  Centennial  Discourse,  p.  13. 


The  first  minister  was  Ephraim  Bownd,  one  of  their  own 
number,  a  man  of  clear  and  vigorous  thought,  good  under- 
standing of  the  Scriptures,  firm  in  religious  faith,  and  earnestly 
pious.  He  had  been  baptized  by  Rev.  Ebenezer  Moulton  of 
Brimfield,  and  for  some  time  had  led  the  devotions  of  the 
little  band.  The  ordaining  council  met  at  Warwick,  Rhode 
Island,  Sept.  7,  1743,  as  the  ministers  who  were  to  assist  in  it 
lived  in  that  vicinity  ;  the  Church  declaring,  by  solemn  vote, 
"  The  said  Elders,  Wightman,  Green,  and  Moulton,  we  appre- 
hend to  be  sound,  clear,  and  zealously  affected  to  the  doctrines 
of  Free  and  Sovereign  Grace,  and  absolutely  averse  to  the 
Pelagian  and  Arminian  Tenets." 

The  blessing  of  God  seemed  to  attend  the  settlement  of  Mr. 
Bownd.  Baptisms  were  frequent,  and  the  additions  to  the 
Church  numerous,  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  manifested  ap- 
proval of  the  well-begun  work. 

In  June,  1745,  the  Church,  having  outgrown  the  house  of 
Mr.  Bownd,  removed  to  Mr.  Procter's  schoolhouse,  "  near  the 
junction  of  Tremont  and  Court  Streets."  This  schoolhouse 
must  have  stood  well  south  of  the  town  that  then  was ;  for 
not  long  before  we  find  that  Samuel  Sewall,  afterwards  Chief 
Justice  of  Massachusetts,  represented  to  the  General  Court 
"  that  his  house  of  wood  in  Boston,  where  the  Rev.  John 
Cotton  formerly  dwelt,  which  house  is  considerably  distant 
from  other  buildings,  standeth  very  bleak,"  and  prayed 
for  liberty  to  build  "  a  small  porch  of  wood  about  seven  feet 
square  to  break  off  the  wind  from  the  fore  door  of  said  house  ;  " 
which  request  the  Court  granted.  Mr.  Sewall's  house  was 
not  far  from  Mr.  Procter's  schoolhouse,  the  former  being  near- 
ly opposite  where  the  Museum  building  now  stands,  in  the 
most  densely  crowded  and  populous  part  of  Boston.  This 
was  regarded  as  an  advance  movement;  and  the  congregation 
increased  so  that  the  schoolhouse  became  too  small  to  hold  the 
people  who  wished  to  attend.  The  necessity  of  a  meeting- 
house being  apparent,  and  the  strength  of  the  Church  being 
adequate  to  its  erection,  a  small  building  was  built  on  the  spot 
now  occupied  by  this  venerable  structure.  The  house  was 
smaller  than  the  vestry  we  now  occupy,  being  only  forty-five; 
by  thirty-two  feet,  and  containing  but  thirty-two  pews  ;  and  six 


8 

of  these  were  in  a  gallery  over  the  entrance.  Mr.  Bownd 
remained  pastor  until  his  death,  June  18,  17G5.  During  his 
ministry  of  twenty-two  years,  one  hundred  and  ninety-four 
persons  were  added  to  the  Church.  The  last  years  of  his  life 
were  years  of  great  physical  weakness  and  prostration.  Afflict- 
ed with  paralysis,  his  work  ceased  hefore  his  ministry  termi- 
nated. He  was  a  good  man,  and  a  faithful  teacher  of  religion. 
"  It  appears  that  Mr.  Bownd,"  says  Dr.  Baldwin,*  "  was  an 
ahle  minister  of  the  New  Testament.  Like  Apollos,  he  was 
mighty  in  the  Scriptures;  and  the  want  of  human  learning 
was  evidently  made  up  by  that  gracious  unction  with  which 
God  was  pleased  to  favor  him." 

About  a  year  before  Mr.  Bownd's  death,  Rev.  Samuel  Still- 
man  was  invited  to  become  his  assistant  in  the  work  of  the 
ministry.  Removing  from  Bordentown,  N.J.,  to  Boston,  Dr. 
Stillman  won  the  hearts  of  the  people  by  his  eloquence  and 
piety ;  but,  at  the  end  of  a  single  year,  he  was  called  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  First  Church,  made  vacant  by  the  resignation 
of  Mr.  Condy,  which  he  accepted,  and  was  installed  Jan.  9, 
1765,  about  one  hundred  years  from  the  organization  of  the 
Church  in  Charlestown.  The  call  of  the  First  Church,  given 
under  the  circumstances,  and  accepted  by  Mr.  Stillman,  to- 
gether with  the  fact  that  several  members  of  this  body  ac- 
companied him  to  the  parent  Church,  produced  a  most  unhappy 
state  of  variance  between  the  two.  For  years  there  was  no 
fellowship  or  sympathy  between  them ;  and  Dr.  Stillman, 
though  universally  popular  and  beloved,  was  not  permitted  to 
preach  in  the  house  until  1772.  when  the  Church  voted  that 
such  an  act  might  be  allowed.  It  does  not  become  us  at  this 
day  to  sit  in  judgment  on  the  course  of  any  of  the  parties  to 
this  sad  quarrel,  which  held  these  Churches  apart  for  so  many 
years. 

The  First  Church  held  on  its  way,  increasing  in  strength 
and  power.  The  house  on  Stillman  Street  gave  place  to  a 
better  one  on  the  corner  of  Hanover  and  Union  Streets,  and 
that,  in  turn,  was  abandoned  to  commercial  purposes;  and  the 
new  and  elegant  structure  rose  on  Somerset  Street,  an  orna- 

*  Dedication  Sermon,  Jan.  1,  1811. 


9 

merit  to  the  denomination,  the  tall  spire  of  which  can  be  seen 
by  the  stranger  approaching  the  city  in  almost  any  direc- 
tion. 


First  Baj>tist  Church, 


From  1765  to  1770,  the  Church  was  without  a  pastor,  rent 
and  torn  by  want  of  harmony  within,  and  surrounded  by  ele- 
ments of  evil  without.  The  withdrawal  ofthe  co-pastor,  taking 
with  him  some  of  the  best  materials  in  the  Church,  and  his 
subsequent  popularity,  which  for  years  gave  the  First  Church 
the  ascendency,  was  distracting  and  paralyzing  to  this  body. 

2 


10 

Dr.  Stow*  very  kindly  says,  "  There  is  no  evidence,  however, 
thai  Mr.  Stillman  was  guilty  of  any  thing  dishonorable.  lie  pre- 
ferred, as  would  any  man,  the  situation  of  sole  pastor  to  that 
of  colleague.  lie  saw  in  the  First  Church  an  open  lidd  for 
extensive  usefulness,  where  there  was  no  certainly  that,  in 
case  of  Mr.  Bownd's  decease,  he  should  be  his  successor.  He 
had  faithfully  fulfilled  his  contract  by  laboring  one  year;  and 
he  perceived  no  good  reason  for  declining  the  proffered  situa- 
tion. Who  that  considers  the  history  of  the  two  Churches 
can  for  a  moment  regret  that  Dr.  Stillman  was  forty-two  years 
the  pastor  of  the  First,  any  more  than  that  Dr.  Baldwin  was 
thirty-five  years  the  pastor  of  the  Second?'' 

At  length  God  sent  the  afflicted.  Church  another  pastor, 
Mr.  John  Davis,  of  Delaware.  He  was  ordained  to  the  pas- 
toral office,  Sept.  9,  1770.  For  a  season  it  seemed  as  if  the  old 
days  were  returning.  The  appearance  of  new  faces  in  the 
house  of  worship,  the  conversion  of  sinners  to  God,  the  intro- 
duction of  a  kindlier  feeling,  were  all  hopeful  evidences  of 
good.  But  God's  ways  are  different  from  our  ways.  At  the 
end  of  two  years,  Mr.  Davis  was  obliged,  in  consequence  of  ill 
health,  to  retire  from  the  pulpit,  and  his  dismission  was  granted 
July  19,  1772,  six  persons  having  united  with  the  church  dur- 
ing his  ministry.  He  died  the  following  year,  while  travelling 
on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  and  went  up  to  God  with  trium- 
phant hope.f 

The  third  pastor  was  Rev.  Isaac  Skillman  (afterwards  Dr.), 
who  entered  upon  his  labors  in  1773.  For  fourteen  years  he 
continued  in  office,  and  during  that  time  only  thirty-two  per- 
sons united  with  the  Church.  The  historians  of  the  Church 
admit  that  his  administration  was  not  a  successful  one  ;  and  Dr. 
Stow  suggests  that  his  proximity  to  the  captivating  preacher 
who  then  filled  the  pulpit  of  the  First  Church,  and  the  scatter- 
ing influence  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  might,  in  part  at  least, 
account  for  this  want  of  success.  Dr.  Baldwin  speaks  of  him 
as  a  sensible,  learned  man,  and  considered  by  many  as  a  good 
preacher,  but  admits  his  unpopularity. 

*  Centennial  Discourse,  p.  22. 

t  He  died  Dec.  13,  1773.  His  last  words  were:  "  In  a  little  time  I  expect  to  be  with 
Christ,  to  see  him  as  he  is  known,  and  as  he  is  not  known."  —  Dr.  Caldicutt's  Narra- 
tive, p.  25. 


11 

Dr.  Skillman  was  followed  by  Rev.  Thomas  Gair,  a  young 
man  of  great  excellence  of  character,  who  had  been  baptized 
into  the  First  Church  by  Dr.  Stillrnan.  During  his  ministry, 
which  lasted  only  two  years,  being  terminated  by  death,  the 
house  of  worship  was  enlarged,  and  twenty  persons  were 
added  to  the  membership.  He  was  installed  April  23,  1788, 
and  died  April  27,  1790.  The  settlement  of  Mr.  Gair  was 
memorable  as  being  the  commencement  of  the  era  of  good  feel- 
ing between  the  two  Churches.  Up  to  this  time,  Dr.  Skillman 
had  not  officiated  in  anyway  in  the  meeting-house  of  the  Second 
Church  since  he  left  in  1761.  But  Mr.  Gair  having  been  con* 
verted  under  his  ministry,  and  the  old  feeling  having,  to  some 
extent,  passed  away,  the  most  amicable  relations  began  to  exist 
between  the  two  bodies,  who  had  one  common  work  and  one 
common  faith.  Long  ere  this,  it  may  be  remarked,  the  evil 
influence  of  Mr.  Condy's  views  had  ceased,  and  the  two 
Churches  held  the  same  apostolic  faith. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Gair  was  a  terrible  blow.  The  Church 
was  recovering  from  its  former  difficulties  and  trials.  The 
young  pastor  was  universally  beloved,  and  his  death  at  that 
time  was  deemed  a  great  misfortune.  But  God  knows,  men 
do  not ;  and  the  death  of  Mr.  Gair  opened  the  way  to  the  pul- 
pit for  one,  who,  without  disrespect  to  others,  has  given 
character  to  the  Church,  shape  and  style  to  its  history,  and 
honor  to  its  name, —  Rev.  Thomas  Baldwin. 

Dr.  Baldwin  was  born  in  Bozrah,  Conn.,  Dec.  23,  1753, 
and  was  the  only  son  of  his  parents,  Thomas  and  Mary 
Baldwin.  His  father  died  while  Thomas  was  an  infant;  and 
he  was  left  to  the  care  of  his  mother,  an  intelligent  and 
pious  woman,  who,  after  the  death  of  her  husband,  devoted 
herself  to  the  culture  of  the  mind  and  heart  of  her  son. 
When  he  was  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  his  mother  again 
married,*  and  removed  to  Canaan.  X.H..  which  was  then  a  set- 
tlement consisting  of  a  few  scattered  families.  Btere  the  young 
man.  like  Christ  his  master,  wrought  at  his  trade  (being  a 
blacksmith),  assisting  his  step-sire,  who  was  blacksmith,  car- 
penter, and  miller.     While   thus  employed,  he  married   .Miss 

*  A  Mr.  Eames  of  New  Hampshire. 


12 

Ruth  Huntington,  a  young  lady  of  Norwich,  Conn.  About 
five  years  after  this  event,  he  became  the  subject  of  that  great 
and  gracious  change  which  resulted  in  so  much  usefulness  to 
man  and  so  much  glory  to  God.  He  himself  gives  us  some 
particulars  of  this  change,*  showing  how  God  led  him  from  step 
to  step. 

"  I  had  no  reason  to  believe,"  he  says,  "  that  I  had  ever 
been  the  subject  of  such  religious  impressions  as  many  others 
have,  during  my  early  years.  I  had  indeed  a  general  convic- 
tion of  the  reality  of  revealed  religion,  and  that  I  had  no  lot 
nor  part  in  it.  When,  however,  my  conscience  accused  me  of 
living  without  God  and  without  hope  in  the  world,  I  was 
usually  able  to  pacify  it  by  promises  of  future  amendment,  or 
by  recurring  to  the  plea  of  inability.  Often,  when  I  had  spent 
an  evening,  until  a  late  hour,  in  mirth  and  dancing,  when  I 
came  to  lay  my  head  upon  my  pillow,  the  thought  of  sudden 
death  would  intrude  into  my  mind.  Such  questions  as  these 
would  often  force  themselves  upon  me :  '  What  if  you  should 
die  before  morning?  What  if  the  judgment  day  should 
come?'  The  answer  was,  'I  am  unprepared  for  either.' 
These  thoughts  at  times  caused  me  to  weep  freely.  But  per- 
haps when  the  morning  returned,  all  was  forgotten.  Although 
I  resolved  at  some  future  time  to  be  religious  (for  I  supposed 
I  could  be  religious  at  any  time),  yet  I  never  fixed  that  time 
as  near  at  hand.  There  always  appeared  some  peculiar  ob- 
stacles in  the  way,  and  some  sinful  propensities  to  be  indulged 
before  I  could  think  of  being  religious.  Thus  I  lived,  from 
year  to  year,  in  a  state  of  awful  security  and  forgetfulness  of 
God." 

In  November,  1777,  God  took  from  him  a  son  between  six 
and  seven  months  old,  and  his  mind  was  again  turned  to 
religious  things ;  but  he  was  not  led  to  Christ  until  three 
years  afterwards.     Let  him  tell  his  own  sacred  story  :  — 

"In  the  summer  of  1780,  my  mind  became  at  times  very 
uneasy.  I  had  serious  thoughts  about  religion,  yet  did  not 
feel  determined  to  set  about  it  in  earnest.  I  had  a  decided 
conviction  that  there  must  be  a  change  of  heart,  or  all  the 

*  In  an  article  furnished  for  the  press  after  his  death  by  Mrs.  Baldwin. 


outward  forms  of  religion  would  be  unavailing.  Often  would 
I  say,  '  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  How  can  I  come  to 
Christ  ?  Oh  that  some  man  would  guide  me  ! '  Thus  I  went 
mourning,  from  clay  to  day,  as  without  the  light  of  the  sun. 
The  world  had  lost  its  charms.  The  pleasures  that  had  here- 
tofore appeared  so  fascinating  now  seemed  so  extremely  in- 
sipid that  I  wondered  I  could  ever  have  thought  so  highly  of 
them.  They  not  only  appeared  empty  and  trifling,  but,  to  a 
great  degree,  disgusting. 

"  After  spending  an  anxious  and  almost  sleepless  night, 
I  arose  just  after  the  dawning  of  the  day,  and  resolved  once 
more  to  pray.  I  said,  with  Jonah,  '  I  will  look  again  towards 
his  holy  temple.'  I  knelt  down,  and,  in  a  few  broken  senten- 
ces, tried  to  send  my  cries  to  the  mercy-seat.  I  felt  con- 
vinced that  I  had  done  nothing  to  merit  the  divine  favor,  nor 
could  I  do  any  thing,  though  I  were  eternally  to  perish.  This 
I  thought  I  confessed  to  the  Lord  ;  and,  as  my  last  refuge, 
endeavored  to  cast  myself  upon  the  mercy  of  God.  During 
this  day  I  felt  less  anxiety  than  I  had  done  for  many  days  be- 
fore. Sometimes  I  hoped  I  had  given  myself  to  God,  and 
sometimes  I  feared  that  my  convictions  were  wearing  off,  and 
then  I  should  return  again  unto  folly. 

"  Just  in  the  twilight  of  the  same  day,  I  had  occasion  to 
walk  to  a  neighbor's  house,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant. 
As  I  walked,  a  new  train  of  thought  occupied  my  mind.  How 
happy,  thought  I,  are  the  angels  !  They  are  happy  because 
they  are  holy,  and  have  never  sinned.  How  unhappy  I  am 
on  account  of  sin !  My  thoughts  now  ran  back  to  Adam  in 
the  garden.  I  thought  I  would  have  given  the  world,  had  it 
been  at  my  command,  if  he  had  never  sinned  ;  then  I  should 
not  have  been  a  sinner.  But  now  I  felt  myself  a  dreadful 
sinner,  and  could  see  no  way  by  which  I  could  be  made  holy. 
At  the  same  time,  I  was  convinced  that  unless  I  were  made 
holy  I  could  never  be  made  happy.  It  appeared  that  I  bad 
a  great  something  to  do  ;  what  it  was  or  how  to  do  it  I  knew 
not.  Immediately,  as  I  walked,  this  passage  of  Scripture  came 
powerfully  into  my  mind:  '  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.'  A  gleam  of  hope  seemed 
to   come  from  these  words.     But  I  thought   they   were  only 


14 

words  which  I  had  read,  and  were  now  suggested  by  my 
imagination.  They  seemed  to  be  repeated  the  second  time: 
'  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of 
the  world.'  The  effect  was  overwhelming.  In  an  instant 
the  great  plan  of  mercy  through  the  atmiement  of  Christ  was 
astonishingly  opened  to  my  view.  ITe  appeared  to  be  just 
such  a  Saviour  as  I  needed.  I  saw  that  by  his  atonement  lie 
had  (so  far  as  an  atonement  could  do  it)  '  taken  away  the  sin 
of  the  world.'  '  What,'  said  I  to  myself, '  is  it  only  to  believe  in 
Jesus  Christ  in  order  to  be  saved ? '  It  appeared  almost  too 
free  and  too  glorious.  It  seemed  impossible  that  it  should  be 
true.  But  the  more  I  reflected,  the  more  clear  it  appeared 
that  this  was  the  Gospel  method  of  salvation.  I  could  not 
help  taking  hold  of  it,  and  thought  1  saw  in  it  a  glorious  con- 
sistency with  the  attributes  of  God. 

"  My  mind  now  became  calm,  but  not  transported.  It  oc- 
curred to  me  that  this  was  not  such  a  conversion  as  I  had 
been  looking  for.  I  had  expected  my  distress  to  be  increased 
until  I  should  see  myself  hanging,  as  it  were,  over  everlasting 
burnings,  and  that  then  I  should  have  some  discovery  of  the 
Saviour;  but  in  what  way  I  knew  not.  Those  sweet  words 
would  still  recur  to  my  mind,  '  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.' " 

This  conflict  of  mind  continued  for  a  long  while.  The 
man's  bosom  was  agitated  by  contending  emotions.  God  and 
the  world  struggled  in  his  torn  heart  for  the  mastery.  At 
times  he  leaned  towards  the  cross,  and  anon  the  world  pre- 
sented its  charms,  and  he  was  swayed  by  its  false  attractions. 
Hope  and  fear,  joy  and  sorrow,  tears  and  smiles,  were  his  por 
tion.  Under  the  lash  of  conscience,  and  the  striving  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  he  was  ready  to  exclaim,  with  the  great  apostle  to 
the  Gentiles,  "  Oh,  wretched  man,  that  I  am  !  "  In  all  the  bit- 
terness of  his  spirit,  he  realized  how  hard  it  is  for  a  sinner 
to  be  justified  by  the  law ;  and  when  he  turned  his  tearful 
eyes  to  Sinai,  he  saw  nothing  but  lightnings,  he  heard  nothing 
but  thunderings.  The  gracious  change  which  ensued,  the 
peace  which  came  like  a  river  into  his  soul,  was  ample  com- 
pensation for  all  he  had  endured  of  deep  and  dark  conviction. 
Once  converted,  he  conferred  not  with  flesh  and  blood,  but 


15 

ascended  to  new  heights  of  glory  and  grace,  and  received 
from  God  that  strength  which,  in  after  years,  made  him  so 
faithful  in  winning  souls  to  Christ. 

But  Mr.  Baldwin  had  been  educated  as  a  Congregational ist, 
and  a  new  trial  was  before  him.  His  mind  became  awakened 
upon  the  subject  of  baptism.  He  wished  to  unite  with  the 
Church,  but  he  had  lost  faith  in  the  rite  which  had  been  prac- 
tised upon  him  while  a  babe,  and  could  not  rest  on  that  as 
valid  baptism.  But  how  could  he  break  away  from  the  sect  he 
loved?     Let  him  tell  us  the  process:  — 

"  I  had  been  educated  in  the  principles,  and  what  I  now 
consider  the  prejudices,  of  the  Congregationalists.  I  had  road 
little  on  the  baptismal  controversy,  except  '  Dickenson's  Di- 
vine Right  of  Infant  Baptism.'  This  work  had  been  reprinted 
with  a  preface  by  eight  Congregational  ministers  of  the  then 
town  of  Norwich",  one  of  whom  was  my  great-uncle,  under 
whose  instructions  I  had  been  brought  up.  I  thought  very 
highly  of  the  work,  and  had  read  it  with  much  attention  more 
than  once,  in  order  to  furnish  myself  with  arguments  in  favor 
of  infant  baptism.  These  arguments  had  satisfied  my  mind 
until  now,  when  I  read  the  Scriptures  with  different  feelings. 
I  wished  to  be  candid,  and  to  receive  the  truth  wherever  I 
might  find  it.  But,  after  all,  when  I  perceived  that  the  evi- 
dence appeared  against  my  former  sentiments,  and  in  favor  of 
the  baptism  of  believing  adults  only,  it  required  an  amazing 
struggle  to  surrender  the  point.  I  concealed  my  conflicts 
from  all  my  Baptist  friends,  but  unbosomed  myself  freely  to 
several  Pedobaptist  ministers,  hoping  that  they  might  be  able 
to  remove  my  difficulties.  But  all  of  them  proved  physicians 
of  no  value.  I  had  fully  resolved  to  follow  the  truth  where- 
soever I  might  find  it.  I  well  knew,  moreover,  that  all  my 
earthly  connections  were  decided  Pedobaptists.  I  endeavored 
to  count  the  cost,  and,  though  J  should  forfeit  their  friendship, 
fell  determined  to  follow  the  dictates  of  my  own  conscience. 

"During  my  unsettled  state  of  mind,  a  respectable  Congre- 
gational minister  visited  and  lodged  at  my  house.  In  the 
course  of  the  evening,  he  introduced  the  subject  of  his  visit, 
which  was.  he  said,  to  invite  me  to  offer  myself  a  candidate 
for  examination  before  the  Association  to  which  he  belonged, 


16 

•with  a  view  to  my  being  licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  their 
fellowship.  But  being  so  far  convinced  of  the  correctness  of 
the  distinguishing  sentiments  of  the  Baptists,  I  thought  it 
improper  to  take  any  step  until  my  mind  should  be  decided. 
I  thanked  him  for  his  friendly  invitation  ;  but  frankly  told  him 
the  state  of  my  mind.  I  requested  him,  if  he  thought  I  was 
in  danger  of  embracing  an  error,  to  endeavor  to  reclaim  me. 
With  this  view,  I  requested  him  to  tell  me  where  to  find  a 
warrant  for  infant  baptism.  He  immediately  referred  to 
Genesis  xvii.,  and  went  at  large  into  the  ordinary  argument 
founded  upon  the  Abrahamic  covenant.  After  conversing  till 
a  late  hour,  I  informed  him  that  I  had  hoped  he  would  have 
convinced  me  that  infant  baptism  was  right;  but  was  sorry  to 
say,  he  had  entirely  failed.  My  conscience  still  preponderated 
toward  the  opinions  of  the  Baptists.  'Sir,'  said  I,  '  in  this 
case,  what  shall  I  do?7  'Why,'  said  he,  'if  we  cannot 
agree  to  think  alike,  we  must  agree  to  differ.'  We  united  in 
prayer,  and  retired  to  rest. 

"  Previously  to  my  baptism,  I  visited  my  friends  at  Nor- 
wich, Conn.  I  then  took  an  opportunity  of  conversing  with 
my  former  venerable  pastor.  He  received  me  very  kindly ; 
and  when,  at  his  request,  I  related  my  religious  exercises,  was 
quite  melted  into  tears.  But  when,  towards  the  close  of  the 
evening,  he  suspected,  from  some  of  my  inquiries,  that  my 
mind  was  not  established  in  the  doctrines  of  Pedobaptism,  he 
remarked  to  me,  in  rather  a  stern  tone  of  voice,  '  Well, 
Thomas,  if  you  renounce  your  infant  baptism,  and  are  re-bap- 
tized,  I  shall  reprobate  you,  notwithstanding  all  that  you  have 
told  me.'     I  was  much  shocked  at  the  remark." 

The  question  having  been  settled  in  his  own  mind,  he  was 
baptized,  in  the  summer  of  1781,  by  Rev.  Elisha  Ransom  of 
Woodstock,  Vt. 

The  people  with  whom  he  had  cast  his  lot  were  few  and 
weak,  and  Mr.  Baldwin  was  led  from  the  first  to  a  more  con- 
spicuous part  than  his  natural  modesty  would  have  chosen. 
He  was  induced  to  lead  in  the  exercises  of  the  conference 
room,  and  exhort  in  the  absence  of  a  preacher. 

Soon  it  became  very  evident  to  the  Church  that  he  should 
give  his  whole  attention  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  the 


17 

subject  was  accordingly  laid  before  him.  At  first  he  rejected 
all  such  ideas.  The  ministry  was  a  sacred  work,  and  he 
shrunk  from  duties  which  he  deemed  himself  inadequate  to 
perform.  But,  in  1783,  he  was  induced  to  submit  to  Ordina- 
tion, under  the  solemn  conviction  that  God  required  it  of  him. 
The  service  was  performed  in  Canaan,  on  the  11th  of  June. 
Rev.  Samuel  Shepherd  preached  the  sermon,  and  the  same 
brother  who  led  him  down  into  the  waters  of  baptism  gave 
him  a  solemn  charge.  He  acted  as  pastor  of  the  Church 
seven  years,  during  which  time  he  was  in  labors  abundant, 
like  Paul  in  his  own  hired  house,  preaching  the  Gospel  to  all 
who  came  in  unto  him.  For  these  arduous  toils  he  received 
but  little  compensation,  and,  while  preaching  the  Gospel,  was 
obliged  to  apply  himself  to  some  extent  to  a  secular  vocation, 
lie  himself  declares  that,  while  at  Canaan,  his  salary  did  not 
average  forty  dollars  a  year.  And  yet  he  worked  hard,  and 
was  a  diligent  servant  of  the  public.  He  made  long  journeys, 
visited  destitute  churches,  and  labored,  in  season  and  out  of 
season,  to  win  souls  to  Christ.  He  says,  in  his  autobiogra- 
phy, "  My  mode  of  travelling  was  on  horseback.  In  pursuing 
my  appointments,  I  had  often  to  climb  the  ragged  mountain 
and  descend  the  deep  ravine.  These  exchanges,  from  rocky 
steeps  to  dismal  swamps,  were  far  from  unfrequent  at  that 
early  period  of  the  settlement  of  this  part  of  our  country. 
The  roads  are  since  so  improved,  that  it  would  be  difficult  to 
persuade  the  traveller  now-a-days  that  they  had  ever  been  as 
bad  as  the  early  settlers  represent." 

At  length  this  Church  heard  of  him,  and  he  was  invited  to 
preach  in  the  pulpit  vacated  by  the  death  of  Mr.  Gair  ;  and  he 
delivered  his  first  discourse  in  Boston  on  the  morning  of  July 
4,  1790.  The  people  were  at  once  impressed  with  the  idea 
of  his  fitness  for  the  pastoral  labors  and  pulpit  ministrations  of 
that  place.  He  labored  to  the  increased  satisfaction  of  the  peo- 
ple from  July  to  September,  when  he  accepted  an  invitation  to 
become  the  religious  teacher  of  the  people  to  whom  he  had 
been  preaching  the  Gospel.  He  was  publicly  installed  as  pas- 
tor of  the  Second  Baptist  Church  on  the  10th  ef  November 
of  the  same  year.    Dr.  Stillman,  of  the  First  Church,  preached 

3 


18 

the  sermon ;  and,  as  long  as  the  two  preachers  remained  in 
the  same  relations,  the  most  kind  and  tender  feelings  existed 
between  them.  The  two  men  were  remarkably  unlike,  and  yet 
both  were  remarkably  successful ;  and  to  them  the  whole  Chris- 
tian community  looked,  as  to  two  of  the  most  laborious  and 
successful  champions  of  evangelical  religion.  Side  by  side 
they  stood,  stemming  the  torrent  of  infidelity  and  falsehood 
which,  about  the  close  of  the  last  century,  swept  in  upon  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ. 

For  a  time  the  transplanted  preacher  was  but  little  better 
paid  in  Boston  than  he  had  been  in  Canaan.  The  committee 
appointed  by  the  Church  to  extend  the  call,  dated  Aug.  22, 
1790,  signed  by  Jacob  Holland,  John  Martin,  Richard  Smith, 
William  Brown,  Josiah  Bacon,  and  Joseph  Shed,  stated  the 
terms  of  settlement,  some  of  which  sound  strangely  to  our  ears 
in  this  age.  "  They  have,"  say  the  committee,  "  also  thought 
it  their  duty  to  engage  you  six  dollars  per  week  for  the  first 
six  months,  and  then  to  increase  it  as  they  shall  find  them- 
selves able  ;  and  also  to  find  you  all  that  part  of  the  dwelling- 
house  now  occupied  by  the  Widow  Gair  (excepting  the  front 
chamber),  together  with  the  improvement  of  the  garden,  be- 
low the  gate ;  and  also  to  allow  you  fifteen  cords  of  wood, 
delivered  at  the  house."  Dr.  Caldicott  states  that,  "Agree- 
ably to  this  engagement,  at  the  end  of  six  months,  they  raised 
the  salary  to  eight  dollars,  and  not  long  after  to  ten,  and  then 
to  twelve,  to  fifteen,  to  eighteen,  and  then  to  twenty  ;  this  was 
paid  weekly,  with  punctuality." 

The  change  from  the  uncultivated  wilds  of  New  Hampshire 
to  the  refined  society  of  Boston  did  not  lessen  the  labors  of 
the  man  of  God.  In  1803  he  became  editor  of  the  "Mission- 
ary Magazine"  and  continued  his  connection  with  it  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death.  He  also  issued  from  the  press  pamphlet 
after  pamphlet  in  rapid  succession.  He  published  three  con- 
troversial works,  besides  about  thirty  sermons  on  various  top- 
ics. Twice  he  discoursed  before  the  Honorable  Senate  and  the 
House  of  Representatives,  —  once  on  the  death  of  Lieut.- 
Governor  Samuel  Phillips,  and  once  on  the  day  of  General 
Election.     The  honorary  degree  of  A.M.  was  conferred  on  him 


19 

by  Brown  University,  and  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity 
was  given  by  Union  College.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he 
was  trustee  of  Columbia  College,  and  also  a  Fellow  of  Brown 
University.  Clerical  titles,  so  questionable  in  their  propriety 
and  influence,  were  not  as  much  used  then  as  now.  Dr.  Stow, 
in  a  semi-centennial  discourse  delivered  before  the  Boston 
South  Association  in  1861,  speaking  of  one  of  the  earlier 
meetings  of  the  Warren  Association,  remarks,  "  Several  titled 
ministers  were  present,  not  so  many  as  there  are  now,  but 
there  was  no  apparent  recognition  of  the  factitious  differ- 
ence. 'Brother'  Stephen  Gano  was  Moderator,  and  '  Broth- 
er '  Thomas  Baldwin,  Clerk.  'Brother'  William  Staughton 
was  present,  as  a  messenger  from  the  Philadelphia  Associa- 
tion." 

Dr.  Baldwin  was  one  of  the  best  of  preachers,  —  best  in  the 
highest,  noblest  sense.  He  was  a  man  of  much  prayer,  of 
cheerful  yet  dignified  demeanor.  He  was  generous,  kind, 
hospitable,  manly.  Every  work  of  his  hands  bore  the  mark  of 
sincerity  ;  and  his  memory  will  be  cherished  long  after  that  of 
the  mere  orator  has  faded  away. 

Dr.  Baldwin  had  much  to  do  with  the  progress  of  his  denom- 
ination in  New  England;  and  his  influence  has  not  ceased, 
and  will  not  until  long  after  the  present  generation  has  de- 
scended to  the  grave.  Many  of  the  sermons  of  Dr.  Baldwin 
were  delivered  without  notes,  and  were  full  of  strong  thoughts, 
appropriately  if  not  eloquently  expressed.  He  seldom  made  a 
random  speech,  or  preached  an  ineffective  sermon.  Hence 
he  was  always  acceptable  in  the  pulpit,  and  in  the  public  as- 
sembly never  failed  to  give  a  hallowed  impression  to  each 
exercise.  He  sometimes  wrote  poetry,  though  without  much 
success.  One  of  his  hymns,  of  which  we  give  a  few  verses, 
however,  continues  to  be  sung,  and  has  often  enlivened  the 
social  and  public  gathering.  It  has  much  more  of  the  spirit  of 
Christian  love  and  kindness  than  of  real  poetical  genius :  — 

From  whence  doth  this  union  arise 

That  conquers  our  hatred  by  love,  — 
That  fastens  our  souls  in  such  ties 

As  nature  and  time  can't  remove  ? 


20 

It  cannot  in  Eden  be  found, 

Nor  yet  in  a  paradise  lost ; 
It  grows  on  Immanuel's  ground, 

And  Jesus'  rich  blood  it  did  cost. 

My  friends  are  so  dear  unto  me, 

Our  hearts  arc  united  in  love; 
Where  Jesus  is  gone  we  shall  be, 

In  yonder  bright  mansions  above. 

Than  why  so  unwilling  to  part, 

Since  there  we  shall  all  meet  again  ? 
Engraved  on  Immanuel's  heart, 

At  distance  we  cannot  remain. 

With  Jesus  we  ever  shall  reign, 

And  all  his  bright  glories  shall,  see  ; 
And  sing,  Hallelujah,  Amen  ! 

Amen,  even  so  let  it  be. 

Dr.  Baldwin  Avas  also  the  author  of  an  excellent  baptismal 
hymn,  which  is  found  in  our  collections : — 

Come,  happy  souls,  adore  the  Lamb, 
Who  loved  our  race  ere  time  began, — 
Who  veiled  his  Godhead  in  our  clay, 
And  in  an  humble  manger  lay. 

To  Jordan's  stream  the  Spirit  led, 

To  mark  the  path  his  saints  should  tread  ; 

Joyful  they  trace  the  sacred  way, 

To  see  the  place  inhere  Jesus  kit/. 

Immersed  by  John  in  Jordan's  wave, 
The  Saviour  left  his  watery  grave  ; 
Heaven  owned  the  deed,  approved  the  way, 
And  blest  the  place  where  Jesus  lay. 

Come,  all  who  love  his  precious  name,  — 
Come,  tread  his  steps  and  learn  of  him : 
Happy  beyond  expression  they 
Who  rind  the  place  where  Jesus  lay. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Dr.  Baldwin,  a  period  of  thirty-five 
years,  826  persons  united  with  the  Church ;  the  old  building 


21 

waa  removed,  the  last  sermon  being  preached  in  it  April  22, 
1810,  from  Psalm  liv.  2,3:  "Enlarge  the  place  of  thy  tent, 
<fcc. ;  "  and  this  editice  was  built,  which  the  pastor  dedicated, 
Jan.  1,  1811,  preaching  from  Hag.  ii.  9:  "The  gloiy  of  this 
latter  house  shall  be  greater  than  of  the  former,  saith  the  Lord 
of  Hosts,  and  in  this  place  will  I  give  peace." 

The  old  house  had  been  twice  enlarged,  —  once  during  the 
ministry  of  Mr.  Gair,  and  again  during  the  ministry  of  Dr. 
Baldwin.  "From  the  date  of  his  installation,"  says  Dr.  Caldi- 
cott  in  his  narrative,*  "  commences  the  prosperity  of  the  Church, 
which  continued  with  but  little  interruption  for  years.  In  a 
short  time  the  congregation  had  so  increased  that  the  edifice 
became  too  small  to  accommodate  the  hearers;  and  it  was  found 
necessary  again  to  enlarge  it,  which  was  done  by  dividing  it, 
and  adding  eighteen  feet  in  the  middle.  The  work  was  com- 
menced Sept.  18,  1797,  and  finished  Nov.  30  following, — 
Thanksgiving  Day.  The  house  was  embellished  by  a  beautiful 
clock,  the  donation  of  Mr.  John  Hoffman,  by  an  elegant  cut- 
glass  chandelier,  imported  from  England,  and  the  communion 
service  was  so  enlarged,  by  purchases  and  donations,  as  to 
be  worth  $551.44."  Speaking  of  the  new  house,  the  same 
authority  says,  "In  the  spring  of  1810,  the  congregation 
had  become  so  large  that  fears  were  entertained  of  their 
safety,  on  account  of  the  supposed  weakness  of  some  parts  of 
the  old  meeting-house,  and  steps  were  therefore  taken  towards 
the  erection  of  a  new  one.  This  work  was  undertaken  the 
same  year.  The  old  house  was  taken  down  and  removed. 
The  corner-stone  of  the  new  one  was  laid  by  the  pastor's  own 
hand,  Monday  morning,  May  28,  1810,  at  ten  o'clock.  The 
walls  were  laid  in  solid  clay,  to  the  depth  of  from  ten  to  twenty 
feet  below  the  brick  work  ;  the  house  was  eighty-five  feet  by 
seventy-five,  exclusive  of  the  porch,  which  was  thirty-eight  by 
eighteen.  The  tower  was  sixty-four  feet  high.  It  was  origi- 
nally intended  to  have  a  handsome  cupola.  On  the  lower  floor 
were  one  hundred  and  forty-two  pews,  and  forty-four  in  the 
galleries,  —  in  the  whole,  one  hundred  and  eighty-six.  The 
whole  expense,  exclusive  of  the  land,  was  about  twenty-four 

*  Tp.  29,  30. 


22 


thousand  dollars.  This  house,  with  the  exception  of  the  altera- 
tions since  made,  is  the  same  in  which  the  Church  now  wor- 
ships. The  house  was  dedicated  by  solemn  and  somewhat 
imposing  services  on  Jan.  1,  1811.  It  is  supposed  that  more 
than  three  thousand  persons  were  present  at  the  dedication." 


lialdwin  l'lace. 


During  the  thirty-five  years  of  Dr.  Baldwin,  that  remark- 
able revolution  in  theological  opinions,  which  almost  swept 
New  England  Orthodoxy  out  of  existence,  occurred,  and,  amid 
the  howling  of  that  storm,  the  two  Baptist  Churches,  side  by 
side,  held  up  the  banner  of  the  cross  with  unflinching  devo- 
tion, and  to  them  evangelical  views  are  indebted  for  much  of 
the  strength  and  permanence  they  have  to-day.  Very  inter- 
esting would  be  a  volume  of  his  wise  sayings,  and  the  interest- 
ing incidents  connected  with  his  ministry  in  this  place,  which 
was  crowded  with  touching  things.* 


*  The  following  anecdotes  of  Dr.  Baldwin,  which  we  believe  are  well  authenticated, 
will  give  us  a  view  of  certain  peculiarities  possessed  by  the  good  man  to  an  eminent 
degree.     The  first  dates  far  back  in  his  early  history:  — 

During  his  ministry  at  Canaan,  on  a  certain  year,  there  was  such  a  failure  of  the  corn 
crop  in  the  town,  that  the  inhabitants  were  obliged  tq  go  to  a  neighboring  town  for  a 
supply.  A  benevolent  individual  in  Enfield,  a  short  distance  from  Canaan,  had  a  large 
quantity  on  hand,  which  he  resolved  to  sell  to  the  poor  that  had  no  horses,  and  there- 
fore could  not  well  go  as  far  as  Lebanon,  where  there  was  an  abundance,  which  those 


23 

At  a  social  festival  at  Baldwin-Place  Church,  held  a  few 
years  since,  in  which  many  of  the  members  of  olden  time 
united,  Rev.  Levi  Tucker,  D.D.,  at  that  time  pastor  of  the 
Church,  since  deceased,  made  the  following  statement:  "  Fifty- 
six  years  ago  there  came  three  tall  young  men  from  a  distance 
of  ten  miles  in  the  country,  requesting  baptism  of  Dr.  Baldwin, 
and  admission  with  the  Second  Church.  The  rite  was  to  be 
performed  after  the  morning  service,  in  the  Mill-Pond,  which 
then  laved  the  foundations  of  the  house.  A  miller  who  owed 
the  Baptists  a  hearty  grudge,  and  was  eager  to  inflict  his  spite 
upon  them,  staid  away  from  his  own  meeting  that  he  might 
drain  the  pond.  The  baptism  could  not  be  performed,  and  the 
young  men  requested  that  it  might  be  administered  in  the 
pond  at  South  Reading.  The  Doctor  consented,  and,  in  the 
face  of  threats  of  personal  violence,  celebrated  for  the  first 
time  in  those  waters,  which  have  since  been  styled  the  Enon 
of  that  vicinity,  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  The  wrath  of  the 
miller  disseminated  the  truth,  and  was  made  an  occasion  of 
the  founding  of  a  Church  in  South  Reading.  He  himself, 
afterwards  residing  in  that  place,  was,  through  the  preaching 
of  a  Baptist  minister,  convinced  of  sin,  converted,  and  zeal- 
ously, like  Saul,  supported  the  faith  which  he  once  destroyed. 
Two  of  those  three  tall  young  men  are  present." 

Dr.  Baldwin  died  while  absent  from  Boston.     A  few  days 


who  had  hordes  could  easily  obtain.  One  of  the  most  thrifty  inhabitants  of  Canaan 
went  on  his  horse  and  applied  for  corn,  which,  for  the  reason  stated,  was  firmly  re- 
fused. Returning  home  in  high  exasperation,  he  passed  Elder  Baldwin,  employed  on 
the  roadside  at  his  secular  vocation  as  a  carpenter.  Reining  up,  and  addressing  the 
Elder,  he  iJeclared  that  he  wished  lie  was  a  devil,  that  he  might  have  the  pleasure  of 
tormenting  in  hell  the  man  who  refused  to  sell  him  the  corn.  "  Stop !  stop !  "  exclaimed 
the  Elder,  "  you  only  want  the  right  kind  of  a  foot  to  be  one  already;  "  and,  brandish- 
ing his  broad-axe,  added,  "  Put  it  up  here  on  the  block,  and  I  will  make  you  one  in  a 
minute"  —  a  cloven  one.  The  man  spurred  up  his  horse  without  replying,  and  was 
out  of  sight  as  soon  as  possible.  ....... 

The  doctor,  while  riding  along  in  his  carriage,  met  a  teamster  of  a  sulky  disposition, 
who  was  inclined  to  use  the  advantage  which  his  heavier  vehicle  gave  him,  and  re- 
fused to  take  one  side  of  the  road,  which  at  that  spot  was  quite  narrow.  The  doctor 
came  to  a  stand-still,  and,  looking  at  the  fellow,  said, — 

'•  Sir,  if  you  do  not  get  out  of  my  way,  I  will  serve  you  as  I  did  a  man  a  few  days 
ago." 

"  Bow  was  that?"  said  the  teamster. 

"  I  got  out  of  his  way,"  was  the  ready  and  good-natured  reply. 

Dr.  Baldwin  would,  at  any  time,  sooner  give  the  entire  road  than  engage  in  a  quarrel. 


24 

before  his  death  he  started  for  Waterville,  to  attend  the  Col- 
lege Anniversary  in  1825.  He  preached  at  Hallowed  on  the 
preceding  Sabbath,  and  arrived  at  Waterville  on  Monday. 
He  retired  early  in  the  evening,  and  slept  quietly  two  hours, 
and  awoke  ;  and  then,  with  a  single  groan,  the  spirit  fled  to 
the  God  who  gave  it. 

The  tidings  spread  through  the  crowds  of  people  who  on 
the  following  morning  arrived  to  attend  the  public  services  of 
the  college,  that  Baldwin,  the  loved  and  honored,  was  no  more. 
The  smiling  countenances  of  the  people  were  exchanged  for 
gloom  and  tears,  and  what  was  designed  as  a  joyous  festival 
was  converted  into  a  season  of  lamentation.  The  corpse  was 
borne  back  to  Boston,  enclosed  in  a  leaden  coffin,  and  on  Fri- 
day the  mournful  procession  arrived  in  the  midst  of  a  loving, 
weeping  people.  The  funeral  services  were  held  in  this 
house,  which  was  filled  to  overflowing  with  a  tearful  congre- 
gation. Rev.  Dr.  Sharp  preached  a  discourse  from  the  words, 
"He  was  a  good  man  ;"  and  the  body  was  home  to  its  long 
home.  Thousands  followed  to  the  grave,  of  all  sects  and  par- 
ties :  and  for  months,  "  the  mourners  went  about  the  streets." 

I  have  dwelt  thus  at  length  upon  the  life  and  ministry  of 
Dr.  Baldwin,  because  his  name  is  associated  with  the  Church 
so  intimately,  and  because  his  ministry,  under  God,  lifted  it 
out  of  the  condition  in  which  it  was  left  at  the  death  of  Mr. 
Gair,  to  a  position  of  influence  and  independence. 

The  sixth  pastor  was  Rev.  James  D.  Knowles,  who  had 
preached  here  as  a  supply  previous  to  the  death  of  Dr.  Bald- 
win ;  and  when  that  venerable  servant  of  God  ended  his  work, 
the  hearts  of  the  people  naturally  turned  to  Mr.  Knowles  as  his 
successor,  and  he  was  ordained  Dec.  28,  1825,  the  sermon  be- 
ing preached  by  Rev.  Irah  Chase  of  Newton,  from  Matthew 
xvi.  26. 

Dr.  Stow  speaks  of  Mr.  Knowles  as  having  some  "  traits  of 
character  that  fitted  him,  perhaps  better  than  any  other  man 
on  the  continent,  to  be  the  successor  of  the  incomparable 
Baldwin.  His  natural  temper  was  peculiarly  amiable  ;  his  feel- 
ings were  uniformly  kind  and  tender;  he  was  ever  gentle, 
mild,  and  forbearing ;  he  loved  peace,  and  for  its  maintenance 
would  sacrifice  almost  any  thing  but  truth  and  conscience.     In 


25 

equanimity  amidst  disturbing  influences,  I  never  saw  him  sur- 
passed. He  was  ever  cool  and  deliberate  in  forming  his  opin- 
ions, and  therefore  he  seldom  had  occasion  to  alter  them.  No 
man  was  firmer  than  he  in  the  maintenance  of  the  right  and 
true  ;  while  in  matters  that  involved  no  important  principle, 
no  man  was  more  flexible  and  conciliatory.  On  him  rested 
the  mantle  of  his  departed  predecessor ;  and,  taking  up  the 
work  of  the  pastor  just  where  that  man  of  God  had  left  it,  he 
went  forward  with  a  prudence,  and  a  judiciousness,  and  an 
efficiency,  that  commanded  general  admiration." 

Repeatedly  did  Mr.  Knowles  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
the  work  of  God  revived  in  the  Church,  and  his  ministry, 
which  lasted  seven  years,  was  crowned  with  rich  blessings. 
During  those  seven  years,  three  hundred  and  three  persons 
were  added  to  the  church,  many  of  whom  entered  by  baptism. 
Mr.  Knowles  resigned  his  pastoral  office,  in  consequence  of 
failing  health,  in  Sept.  1832,  and  became  professor  in  New- 
ton Theological  Institution,  which  service  he  performed  until 
the  9th  of  May,  1838,  when  he  died  of  a  malignant  disease 
which  he  contracted  while  attending  missionary  meetings  in 
New  York.  He  died  universally  lamented,  and  his  memory 
lingers  to  this  day  as  a  sweet  fragrance.  His  ministry,  though 
brief,  was  effective,  earnest,  spiritual,  and  successful. 

Mr.  Knowles  was  followed  by  Rev.  Baron  (now  Dr.)  Stow, 
who,  at  the  time,  was  settled  in  Portsmouth,  N.H. ;  and  he 
was  installed  Nov.  15,  1832,  Mr.  Knowles  preaching  the 
sermon  on  the  occasion  from  1  Pet.  i.  24,  25.  What  Dr. 
Stow  says  about  the  fitness  of  Mr.  Knowles  to  follow  Dr. 
Baldwin  may  well  be  said  of  his  fitness  to  follow  them  both. 
He  brought  to  this  pulpit  some  of  the  most  excellent  traits 
of  both  of  these  men,  and  deepened  and  made  lasting  their 
work.  The  ministry  of  Dr.  Stow  continued  fifteen  years  and 
three-fourths;  and  the  Lord  blessed  him  mightily,  and  he  met 
here  with  more  tangible  and  decided  success  than  did  his 
predecessor,  Dr.  Baldwin.  During  his  ministry,  nine  hundred 
and  fifty-one  persons  united  with  the  Church.  Several  pre- 
cious revivals  of  religion  were  enjoyed,  and  among  them 
that  which  occurred  in  connection  with  the  labors  of  Rev. 
Jacob  Knapp  in  1841-2.     The  power  of  God  seemed  to  attend 


26 

the  labors  of  Dr.  Stow  to  a  remarkable  degree.  Tbe  Cburch 
enjoyed  great  prosperity,  and  were  united  and  harmonious  in 
all  their  actions.  Not  only  was  the  Church  built  up,  but  other 
changes  occurred.  "In  1842,"  says  Dr.  Caldicott,  "  a  very 
extensive  and  important  alteration  was  made  in  the  meeting- 
house. The  audience-room  being  then  where  the  vestry-room 
now  is,  —  the  vestry  being  in  a  small  and  inconvenient  building 
where  the  house  of  Rev.  Phineas  Stowe  now  stands,  and  the 
Church  feeling  the  need  of  suitable  committee-rooms,  as  well 
as  of  a  larger  vestry,  —  it  was  resolved  to  raise  the  roof  of  the 
house,  and  elevate  the  walls,  so  as  to  place  the  audience-room 
where  it  now  is,  and  to  convert  the  former  one  into  vestries, 
committee-rooms,  &c.  To  pay  for  this,  as  also  to  liquidate  a 
debt  of  about  four  thousand  dollars,  some  of  the  society's  prop- 
erty was  sold :  the  Church  voted  two  thousand  dollars  from 
its  funds,  and  yet  the  cost  of  the  alteration  so  much  exceeded 
first  estimates  as  still  to  leave  a  debt  upon  the  society  of  some 
seven  thousand  dollars,  the  payment  of  which  having  only 
been  provided  for  during  the  year  past  (1853)." 

When  Dr.  Stow  had  been  pastor  of  the  Church  about  eleven 
years,  the  change  of  population  from  north  to  west  and  south 
commenced,  and  the  society  began  to  decline.  So  great  was 
the  tide  of  emigration,  that  the  pastor  became  discouraged, 
and  foresaw  the  day  when  Baldwin  Place  would  be  deserted, 
and  extinction  or  removal  would  take  place.  What  he  foresaw 
more  than  twenty  years  ago  is  to  us  a  present  reality.  What  he 
predicted  has  come  to  pass  ;  and  we  have  been  forced  to  adopt 
the  plan  of  removal  to  prevent  extinction.  Failing  in  health, 
discouraged  in  his  labors,  Dr.  Stow  resigned  July  1,  1848  ; 
taking  with  him,  to  Rowe  Street,  some  very  efficient  members 
of  this  body,  but  followed  with  the  respect,  kind  wishes,  and 
esteem  of  the  Church  and  congregation,  who  regretted  his  de- 
parture, and  deplored  his  loss.* 

The  ministry  of  Dr.  Stow  was  emphatically  a  living  min- 
istry. The  Church,  during  all  that  period,  was  intensely 
active.     Discipline  was  carefully  maintained ;  evening  meet- 


*  An   interesting  letter  from   Dr.  Stow  will  be   found  appended  to  this 
discourse. 


27 

ings  were  well  sustained;  the  social  element  of  the  Church 
was  well  developed  ;  the  audiences  on  the  Sabbath  were  large 
and  appreciative  ;  the  Sunday  school  was  in  successful  prog- 
ress ;  conversions  were  frequent ;  well-proportioned,  symmet- 
rical Christian  character  was  a  marked  feature  of  the  mem- 
bership ;  benevolent  operations  were  steadily  carried  forward  ; 
the  Gospel  prevailed  against  error,  and  Zion  rejoiced  in  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel.  Whatever  this  pastor's  success  might 
have  been  before,  during  his  ministry  here  it  was  signal  and 
glorious.* 

The  people  here  did  not  take  the  same  sombre  view  that 
Dr.  Stow  did,  and  little  thought  was  entertained  of  abandoning 
this  old  spot;  but,  gathering  strength  for  another  trial,  the 
Church  invited  Rev.  Levi  Tucker,  D.D.,  of  Washington-street 
Church,  Buffalo,  to  the  vacant  pastorate.  He  accepted  the  call, 
and  at  the  close  of  the  year  1848  commenced  his  labors.  For  a 
time  he  was  very  successful.  The  house  was  crowded ;  the 
Church  was  revived  ;  baptisms  took  place,  and  there  seemed  to 
be  a  tide  of  prosperity  setting  in.  The  hopes  of  the  people 
rose,  and  all  things  seemed  to  be  doing  well.  But  this  state  of 
things  did  not  long  continue.  The  pastor,  in  less  than  two 
years,  lost  his  accomplished  and  excellent  wife  by  death :  his 
own  health  failed ;  and  he  was  obliged  to  resign  his  charge, 
which  he  did,  Sept.  2,  1862,  for  the  purpose  of  seeking  rest 
and  relaxation  in  foreign  lands,  from  which  he  returned  only 
to  die.  His  death  occurred  at  Cincinatus,  N.Y.,  Aug.  20, 
1853.  His  remains  were  brought  to  this  city ;  and  his  funeral 
service  took  place  in  this  house,  Dr.  Stow  preaching  the  ser- 
mon from  1  Sam.  xx.  3  ;  and  Drs.  Neale  and  Beecher,  and  Rev. 
Mr.  Bosworth,  taking  part  in  the  exercises.  He  was  buried  at 
Woodlawn  Cemetery,  in  the  Church  lot  by  the  side  of  his  wife. 
During  his  ministry  of  three  years  and  two-thirds,  one  hundred 
and  eighty-seven  persons  united  with  the  Church;  and  some  of 
the  present  members  remember  him  with  gratitude  as  their 
spiritual  parent  and  friend. 

*  Dr.  Stow  was  born  in  Croydon,  N.H.,  June  16,  1801.  He  graduated  at 
Columbian  College,  D.C.,  in  1825  ;  was  ordained  at  Portsmouth,  N.H.,  ls:'7. 
Previous  to  his  ordination,  he  edited  the  Columbian  Star  two  years.  His  miu- 
sterial  life  has  been  spent,  thus  far,  with  three  churches. 


28 

Rev.  Thomas  Ford  Caldicott,  D.D.,  then  pastor  of  the  First 
Church,  Charlestown,  was  called  to  the  pulpit,  and  commenced 
his  work  Nov.  1,  1853.  His  ministry  was  successful,  and  one 
hundred  and  ten  persons  united  with  the  Church;  plans  of 
benevolence  were  formed  that  are  in  operation  up  to  this  time  ; 
various  good  projects  were  started  to  advance  the  interests  of 
Zion,  and  Dr.  Caldicott  resigned  Jan.  8,  1858,  and  is  remem- 
bered as  an  active  and  laborious  pastor.  He  loved  work  him- 
self, and  infused  a  love  of  work  into  the  people.  He  is  now 
pastor  in  Toronto,  C.W. 

The  tenth  pastor  was  Rev.  James  Belcher,  called  from  the 
Church  in  Ellsworth,  Me.  He  assumed  the  pastoral  office  Dec.  7, 
1858,  and  resigned  July  16,  1861.  During  his  pastorate,  Rev. 
Jacob  Knapp  was  invited  to  visit  the  church  a  second  time ; 
and  for  some  weeks  he  labored,  but  without  much  success. 
There  seemed  to  be  a  want  of  harmony  with  him,  that  caused 
his  visit  to  be  a  positive  failure.  About  the  same  time,  the 
Church  united  with  other  Churches  in  an  outside  effort, 
meetings  being  held  at  Tammany  Hall,  a  room  in  the  National 
Theatre  building ;  but  the  effort  was  soon  abandoned.  About 
fifty-six  persons  united  with  the  Church  during  Mr.  Belcher's 
ministry. 

Rev.  Stephen  Remington  was  the  next  pastor,  Rev.  J.  C. 
Stockbridge,  D.D.,  having  supplied  the  pulpit  several  months 
after  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Belcher.  The  installation  of  Mr. 
Remington  took  place  Oct.  28,  1862.  Several  of  the  pastors 
who  assisted  in  the  service  were  convinced  that  his  ministry 
would  be  short ;  they  being  sure  that  the  Church  could  not  live 
in  its  present  location.  Dr.  Hague,  who  gave  him  the  Hand  of 
Fellowship  on  the  occasion,  told  him  that  he  had  "  no  future  "  in 
Baldwin  Place.  But  for  months  he  labored  on,  turning  every 
stone,  using  all  the  means  in  his  power,  and  at  the  end  of 
seventeen  months  resigned,  convinced  that  it  was  useless 
longer  to  contend  with  Providence.  The  additions  were  small, 
only  four  having  joined  the  Church  during  his  brief  pastorate. 

The  Church  had  now  reached  the  crisis  of  its  history.  That 
matters  could  not  go  on  so  very  long  was  evident ;  and  the 
future  of  Baldwin-Place  Church  became  a  problem.  To  con- 
tinue  worship  in  Baldwin  Place  seemed  almost  impossible. 


29 

The  Protestants  who  once  had  filled  the  house  had  moved 
away  ;  and  their  tenements  were  occupied  by  people  who  never 
enter  a  Protestant  house  of  worship.  The  income  from  rents 
had  become  small,  a  few  were  bearing  many  burdens,  and  some 
change  seemed  a  necessity.  But  a  removal  appeared  almost 
as  difficult.  Most  of  the  members  lived  in  Chelsea,  Charlestown, 
or  at  the  extreme  North  End,  and  could  not  follow  the  Church 
to  the  South  End,  where  only  was  room  for  it,  and  where  only 
it  could  find  a  new  lease  of  life.  To  God  the  Church  went  in 
its  extremity.  Before  Him  the  case  was  laid,  and  on  Him  the 
burden  was  rolled.  Soon  it  became  the  conviction  of  a  ma- 
jority of  the  brethren  and  sisters  that  a  removal  to  South 
End  was  the  only  thing  that  would  save  the  history  of  the 
Church  from  a  speedy  termination.  When  this  conviction  was 
reached,  there  was  but  one  mind.  All  hearts  united ;  and  the 
vote  to  change  the  location  to  the  south  part  of  the  city  was 
nearly  or  quite  unanimous.  It  cost  a  struggle  to  come  to 
this  resolution ;  but,  when  duty  seemed  clear,  there  was  no 
hesitation,  and  the  sacrifice  was  made.  The  necessary  prep- 
arations were  entered  upon  at  once  to  dispose  of  the  prop- 
erty, and  change  the  location  of  the  Church. 

With  that  change  in  view,  the  present  pastor  was  called, 
and  was  installed  Dec.  25,  1864.  Since  then  the  house  has 
been  sold  to  the  "  Union  Mission  and  Home  for  Little  Wan- 
derers," a  corporation  of  gentlemen  who  propose  to  make 
themselves  useful  among  the  children  that  are  neglected  and 
outcast.  The  society  sell  the  property  for  $20,000,  and  retain 
the  organ,  pulpit,  carpets,  and  all  the  furniture.  It  is  pleasant 
to  know  that  this  meetingdiouse,  which  is  a  sacred  spot  to  so 
many,  is  not  to  be  converted  into  a  brewery,  a  stable,  a  foun- 
dery,  nor  a  Church  where  error  will  be  taught,  but  into  a 
home  for  little  wanderers. 

The  last  baptism  occurred  here  on  Sunday,  Jan.  29,  1865  ; 
Miss  Harriet  C.  Kennard,  whose  father  and  mother,  now  in 
heaven,  were  both  members  here,  was  the  candidate.  The 
last  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  this  afternoon,  and 
the  last  discourse  here  is  now  being  preached. 

In  reviewing  the  history  of  the  Church,  there  is  much  to  in- 
struct and  encourage  us.    What  great  things  have  come  from  a 


30 

very  small  beginning  !  What  wonders  have  perseverance  and 
piety  wrought  here  !  Fur  a  long  time  the  Church  was  in 
affliction.  At  the  time  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Davis,  the  ,-ecoud 
minister,  the  number  of  members  was  but  fifty,  one-half  less 
than  when  Mr.  Bownd  died,  seven  or  eight  years  before.  When 
Mr.  Gair  died,  and  Mr.  Baldwin  took  his  place,  after  a  history 
of  nearly  forty  years,  the  membership  was  only  eighty-nine. 
Dr.  Baldwin  left  it  four  hundred  and  forty-five  ;  Dr.  Stow  left  it 
six  hundred  and  seventy-nine ;  Dr.  Tucker  left  it  seven  hun- 
dred and  twenty.  It  is  now  but  three  hundred  and  sixty,  and 
these  are  scattered  far  and  wide. 

From  1743,  for  many  years,  this  Church  claimed  to  be  the 
First  Church.  This  claim  was  based  upon  the  fact  that  those 
who  came  out  from  the  main  body  held  to  the  old  doctrines  of 
the  Baptists,  while  those  who  remained,  it  was  alleged,  had 
departed  from  them.  In  time,  however,  the  claim  was  aban- 
doned;  and  in  1834,  an  act  of  the  Legislature  gave  this  body 
the  name  it  bears  to  day,  —  Baldwin-Place  Church.  Whatever 
right  the  Church  may  have  had,  or  supposed  itself  to  have, 
under  ecclesiastical  law,  to  the  name  it  retained  so  long,  no 
one  can  regret  that  it  abandoned  it  in  a  spirit  of  generous 
fraternity  to  the  old  Church,  which,  on  the  seventh  day  of 
June,  in  the  present  year,  will  celebrate  its  second  centennial 
anniversary. 

Dr.  Baldwin  used  to  baptize  in  a  mill-pond  near  the  house, 
which  some  of  you  will  remember.  The  baptistry  was  first  in- 
troduced in  1833,  soon  after  the  installation  of  Dr.  Stow,  and 
has  been  in  constant  use  ever  since ;  more  than  a  thousand 
persons  having  been  baptized  in  it.  It  will  be  taken  out,  and 
removed  to  the  new  Church,  still  to  be  a  baptismal  sepulchre 
for  such  as  shall  be  buried  with  our  Lord. 

The  hymn-books  that  have  been  used  are  Sternhold  and 
Hopkins  and  Tate  and  Brady,  employed  down  to  the  time  of 
Mr.  Davis  ;  Watts's  Psalms  and  Hymns,  used  from  the  time  of 
Mr.  Davis  until  the  introduction  of  the  "  Psalmist,"  prepared 
by  Dr.  Stow,  then  pastor,  and  Rev.  S.  F.  Smith,  D.D.,  a  for- 
mer member  of  the  Church  :  and  the  latter  book  is  now  in  use. 

It  may  be  worthy  of  remark,  in  this  connection,  that  the 
singing  in  Baldwin-Place  Church  has  long  been  an  attractive 


31 

feature  in  the  worship  of  the  sabbath.  A  fine  organ,  built 
by  Appleton,  was  introduced  into  the  house  in  1834.  Gen- 
eral B.  F.  Edmands  has  been  connected  with  the  choir  for 
forty-four  years,  and  has  acted  as  chorister  for  more  than 
thirty-five  years.  Such  an  instance  of  permanency  is  rarely 
found  in  these  shifting,  changing  days.  It  is  due  to  General 
Edmands  to  say,  in  this  connection,  that  an  effective  and  excel- 
lent choir  has  been  maintained  in  periods  when  the  Church 
was  most  depressed. 

The  Church  sought  and  obtained  admission  to  the  Warren 
Association  in  1772;  in  1811  it  was  one  of  the  Churches  that 
organized  the  Boston  Association  ;  and  when,  in  1849,  that 
body  was  divided,  this  Church  took  its  place  as  the  second 
in  age  in  the  Boston  North.  If  ever  the  Church  should  unite 
with  the  Boston  South  Association,  within  whose  geographical 
limits  its  new  edifice  will  stand,  that  will  be  the  fourth  associa- 
tion to  which  it  has  belonged,  and  it  will  be  the  oldest  Church 
in  that  body. 

Besides  the  pastors  whose  honored  names  have  been  enu- 
merated to-day,  the  roll  of  the  Church  shows  a  goodly  number 
of  ministers,  once  members  here,  who  have  served  God  with 
fidelity.     And  among  them  we  may  mention  the  following  : 

Nathaniel  Kendrick,  D.D.,  who  was  licensed  by  the 
Church  in  1803;  and,  after  pastoral  labors  in  Lansingburgh, 
Middlebury,  Vt.,  and  Eaton,  N.Y.,  was  elected  to  the  Theo- 
logical Professorship  in  Madison  University  in  1822,  and  for 
twenty -five  years  filled  that  post,  dying  in  1848. 

Asa  Niles,  baptized  by  Dr.  Baldwin,  and  ordained  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Warren  Association,  held  at  Warren,  Sept.  11, 
1805,  his  pastor  preaching  the  sermon  from  2  Tim.  ii.  1.  He 
was  settled  at  New  Salem,  several  other  places,  and  died  many 
years  ago.     A  good  man. 

William  Bently,  called  "  Father  Bently,"  and  well  known 
by  the  older  people  of  our  denomination.  He  spent  most  of  his 
life  in  the  State  of  Connecticut.  He  was  at  one  time  pastor 
of  the  First  Church  in  Worcester.  He  died  at  Wethersfield, 
Conn.,  at  a  very  advanced  age  ;  and  Dr.  Turnbull  preached  his 
funeral  sermon. 

Daniel  Chessman  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  Church  in 


32 

Warren,  R.I.,  March  5,  1818.  Rev.  Dr.  Baldwin  preached  the 
sermon.  Mr.  Chessman  served  the  Master  well  in  several  pas- 
torates, and  earned  a  good  degree,  and  died  in  triumphant 
hope, — a  good  minister  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  was  a  pastor  in 
Lynn,  and  Hallowell,  Me. ;  and  in  his  pulpit,  Dr.  Baldwin 
preached  his  last  sermon. 

Jambs  Parsons  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  an  evangelist 
at  Newport,  N.H.,  Oct.  7,  1819,  and  afterward  settled  at  Cole- 
raine,  and  several  other  places. 

Thomas  B.  Ripley,  baptized  by  Dr.  Baldwin,  who  preached 
his  ordination  sermon,  July  24,  1815,  at  Portland,  Me.,  from 
Col.  iv.  17.  He  has  been  for  many  years  city  missionary  in 
Portland,  where  he  has  been  the  means  of  great  good. 

Isaac  Child  was  baptized  by  Dr.  Baldwin,  and  for  many 
years  has  been  in  the  spirit- world.  He  was  esteemed  and 
loved  by  the  Christian  people  with  whom  he  associated. 

Barnabas  Bates,  an  able  man,  but  somewhat  eccentric.  He 
afterward  deserted  our  views,  abandoned  the  Baptists,  and  la- 
bored to  deny  what  he  aforetime  built  up.  He  was  at  one 
time  settled  at  Bristol,  R.I. 

Rev.  David  Goddard,  father  of  an  eminent  missionary  of 
the  same  name.  He  was  ordained  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church  in  Wendell,  Jan.  24,  1814,  and  for  many  years  was 
a  faithful  and  devoted  minister  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  His 
son  arrived  at  Singapore,  June,  1839. 

James  Colman,  the  companion  of  Edward  W.  Wheelock  in 
his  voyage  from  this  country  to  the  East.  He  was  born  in 
Boston,  Feb.  19,  1794,  was  baptized  into  this  Church  by  Dr. 
Baldwin  in  Oct.  1804,  at  the  age  of  ten  years.  When  the 
Third  Church  (now  Charles  Street)  was  formed,  in  1807,  he 
went  out  with  others  to  constitute  it.  He  died  July  4,  1822, 
at  Cox's  Bazar,  Arracan. 

Edward  Willard  Wheelock  lies  sleeping  beneath  the  waters 
of  the  Bay  of  Bengal.  He  was  baptized  by  Dr.  Baldwin  in  the 
sixteenth  year  of  his  age.  In  1817  he  was  appointed  a  mission- 
ary to  Burmah.  In  his  application  he  says,  "  Oh,  if  it  is  con- 
sistent that  one  so  unworthy  and  so  unqualified  as  myself 
should  engage  in  this  glorious  work,  deny  me  not,  I  beseech 
you,  the  unspeakable  privilege  ;  deny  me  not  the  fondest,  the 


most  ardent  desire  of  my  soul,  that  can,  in  this  world,  be  grati- 
fied !  To  deny  me  this  would  be  to  deprive  me  of  the  greatest 
happiness  which,  in  this  world,  I  can  possibly  enjoy.  I  had 
rather  be  a  missionary  of  the  cross  than  a  king  on  a  throne.  Let 
the  men  of  this  world  possess  its  glittering  toys;  let  the  miser 
grasp  his  cankered  gold  ;  let  the  voluptuary  enjoy  his  sordid 
pleasures;  let  the  ambitious  ascend  to  the  pinnacle  of  earthly 
honor;  but  let  me  enjoy  the  sweet  satisfaction  of  directing  the 
poor  pagans  to  the  '  Lamb  of  God.'  I  court  no  greater  good ; 
I  desire  no  greater  joy  ;  I  seek  no  greater  honor.  To  Burmah 
would  I  go  ;  in  Burmah  would  I  live ;  in  Burmah  would  I  toil; 
in  Burmah  would  I  die  ;  and  in  Burmah  avouIcI  I  be  buried." 

He  lived  to  reach  his  field  of  labor;  but  his  mental  system, 
receiving  a  severe  strain,  failed,  and  he  was  soon  called  home. 
He  was  on  his  way  to  Calcutta  from  Rangoon,  when  he  came 
to  his  end  in  a  moment  of  delirium.  The  following  paragraph 
will  explain  it  all:  "  On  the  20th  of  August,  1819,  while  Mrs. 
Wheelock  was  engaged  in  writing',  and  he,  to  her,  appar- 
ently asleep,  she  heard  the  water-gallery  door  close  ;  and  look- 
ing around,  saw  that  he  was  gone.  She  sprang  to  the  door, 
and,  opening  it,  found,  to  her  unspeakable  grief,  he  had  vanished 
from  her  sight  forever." 

Colman  and  Wheelock  were  ordained  in  this  house  Sept. 
10,  1817.  Rev.  Mr.  Chaplin,  of  Danvers,  preached  the  ser- 
mon, Dr.  Baldwin  gave  the  charge,  and  Dr.  Sharp  the  Right 
Hand  of  Fellowship.  Messrs.  Winchell,  Grafton,  Holies,  and 
Williams  united  in  the  service. 

Henry  J.  Ripley,  D.D.,  author  of  several  volumes  of  Notes 
on  the  Various  Books  of  the  Bible,  and  several  other  works, 
was  baptized  by  Rev.  Dr.  Baldwin,  his  esteemed  friend. 
He  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1816,  studied  theol- 
ogy at  Andover,  was  ordained  in  this  house,  Nov.  7.  1819,  Dr 
Baldwin  preaching  the  sermon;  and  from  L826  filled  a  Pro- 
fessor's chair  at  Xewton.  His  connection  with  the  Institution 
lately  ceased;  and  hundreds  of  young  men  will  remember  him 
with  affectionate  regard  as  a  hind  friend  and  faithful  teacher. 

Recel  LoTHROPwas  baptized  by  Dr.  Baldwin,  and  for  a  time 
was  settled  at  Cavendish,  Vt.  His  course  was  not  such  as  to 
reflect  honor  upon  the  Church  which  sent  him  forth. 


34 

Adoniram  Judson,  sen.,  formerly  a  Congregational  minister, 
and  father  of  the  apostle  to  Burmah.  He  was  a  Congrega- 
tionalist,  and  at  various  periods  was  settled  at  Maiden,  Ply- 
mouth, and  Newton.  He  was  baptized  in  1817,  together  with 
his  wife  and  daughter,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Baldwin.  He  was  after- 
ward settled  at  Nobleboro',  Me.,  and  died  Nov.  25,  1826.  He 
was  a  man  of  considerable  culture  and  biblical  attainments, 
and  a  humble,  sincere  Christian. 

Elisha  S.  Williams,  son  of  a  Presbyterian  minister,  gradu- 
ated at  Yale  College,  and  became  pastor  in  Brunswick  and 
Beverly,  where  he  labored  many  years.  He  came  to  Boston 
in  the  decline  of  his  life,  and  died  in  Beverly  at  an  advanced 
age,  a  man  of  great  rectitude  and  piety.  From  1812  to  .1827, 
he  was  a  member  of  this  Church.  He  was  born  in  1757,  grad- 
uated in  1775,  baptized  by  Rev.  Eliphalet  Smith,  ordained  in 
1799,  and  died  in  1845. 

Stephen  Lovell  united  with  this  Church  by  letter,  and  was 
settled  for  some  time  with  the  Church  at  Cambridgeport,  and 
finally  became  editor  of  the  "  Olive  Branch,"  a  literary  paper, 
which  has  ceased  to  exist.  He  was  not  connected  with  the 
Baptists  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

Ieah  Chase,  D.D.,  born  in  1793,  graduated  at  Middlebury 
College,  1814,  educated  in  theology  at  Andover,  united  with 
this  body  by  letter.  He  was  ordained  in  1817  at  Danvers, 
during  a  session  of  the  Boston  Association,  and,  after  spending 
some  years  as  a  missionary  in  the  West,  became  a  Professor 
in  the  Theological  School  in  Philadelphia,  which  was  after- 
wards transferred  to  Washington.  In  1825  he  became  con- 
nected with  Newton  Institution, and  continued  a  Professor  there 
until  1845.  He  died  in  1864,  universally  lamented  by  the 
denomination  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
scholars. 

Stephen  Chapin,  D.D.,  ordained  a  Congregationalist,  after 
having  studied  theology  under  Dr.  Emmons,  of  Franklin,  and 
settled  in  Hillsborough  and  Mount  Vernon,  N.H.  The  Half-way 
Covenant  led  him  to  review  his  position ;  and,  in  the  study,  he 
became  a  Baptist,  and  was  baptized  by  Dr.  Baldwin  in  1818. 
The  following  year  he  became  pastor  of  the  Church  in  North 
Yarmouth,  but  soon  accepted  the  chair  of  theology  in  Water- 


35 

ville  College,  in  which  he  continued  until  1828,  when  he  Was 
elected  President  of  Columbian  College,  which  position  he 
filled  until  1841.     He  died  a  few  years  afterward. 

Alvah  Woods,  D.D.,  for  a  time  a  professor  in  Brown  Uni- 
versity, afterwards  President  of  Transylvania  University, 
Kentucky,  and  then  of  Tuscaloosa  University,  Ala.  His 
later  years  have  been  spent  in  retirement  at  Providence. 

James  A.  Boswell  studied  with  Dr.  Chaplin,  of  Danvers, 
and  afterwards  ordained  as  pastor  in  that  town  ;  preached  at 
various  places,  with  much  usefulness ;  and  died  at  Bow,  N.H., 
leaving  an  unblemished  reputation  and  a  precious  memory. 

S.  C.  Dillaway  was  ordained  at  Charlestown  as  an  evangel- 
ist. Dr.  Baldwin  preached  the  sermon  from  Eph.  iv.  8,  11,  12. 
He  was  settled  in  Randolph  and  other  places,  but  long  since 
went  to  his  rest. 

Lewis  E.  Caswell,  baptized  by  Dr.  Baldwin,  July  6,  1817, 
received  by  this  Church  in  1829,  was  settled  five  years  in 
Meredith,  and  eight  years  in  Ware,  N.H.,  but  has  spent  most 
of  his  life  in  city  mission  work.  He  is  still  a  member  of  the 
Church,  and  usefully  employed  in  ministering  to  the  necessi- 
ties of  the  poor.  He  has  been  very  active  in  the  temperance 
reform  and  in  the  antislavery  cause. 

B.  F.  Farxsworth,  D.D.,  came  to  this  Church  by  letter,  and 
spent  most  of  his  life  as  a  teacher  of  youth.  He  was  for  many 
years  Principal  of  the  New  Hampton  Institution,  and  after- 
wards President  of  Georgetown  College.  He  was  editor,  for  a 
time,  of  the  "  Christian  Watchman."  He  died  May  4, 1851,  near 
Lexington,  Ky.,  after  a  long  illness. 

William  Collier,  for  many  years  a  most  excellent  city  mis- 
sionary. Mr.  Collier  was,  for  three  years,  pastor  of  the  Gold- 
street  (now  the  First)  Baptist  Church,  in  New  York.  He  was 
installed  as  pastor  of  the  First  Church,  Charlestown,  May  3, 
1804,  where  he  continued  fifteen  years  and  four  months. 

Caleb  B.  Shute  was  baptized  by  Dr.  Baldwin  in  1825,  just 
before  the  death  of  the  venerable  pastor.  He  was  ordained  at 
Dunstable,  and  was  for  several  years  in  the  Sabbath-school 
Depository  in  Cornhill,  and  made  himself  useful  to  Zfon.  He 
is  now  dead. 

Lemuel  Porter,  D.D.,  died  at  Chicago,  where  he  was  acting 


36 

as  district  secretary  for  the  American  Tract  Society,  in  1864. 
He  was  baptized  by  Dr.  Baldwin,  graduated  at  Waterville  Col- 
lege, and  became  pastor  of  the  Worthen-street  Church,  Lowell, 
where  he  remained  sixteen  years.  He  subsequently  removed 
to  Pittsfield,  where  he  was  settled  for  several  years.  He  was 
also  pastor  of  the  church  in  Bloomington,  111.,  for  a  short  time. 
He  was  a  useful  and  laborious  minister. 

Samuel  Francis  Smith,  D.D.,  a  poet  and  preacher,  who 
was  born  in  Boston,  1809,  graduated  at  Harvard,  1829,  ordained 
as  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Waterville,  Me.,  in  1834, 
after  which  he  was  elected  Professor  of  Modern  Languages  in 
the  college,  where  he  continued  until  1842,  when  he  removed 
to  Newton,  and  became  pastor  of  the  First  Church.  Dr.  Smith 
was  the  author  of  the  beautiful  hymn  "  America,"  one  of  the 
compilers  of  the  "  Psalmist,"  and  for  a  long  time  the  editor  of 
the  "  Christian  Review."     He  was  baptized  at  an  early  age. 

John  Peak,  a  godly  man,  who,  after  various  settlements, 
afflicted  with  a  grievous  lameness,  sought  rest  in  the  bosom 
of  this  Church.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  in  Baptist  work 
in  New  England,  labored  long  and  well  for  the  Master,  and 
died,  leaving  a  fragrant  memory  and  blessed  influence.  He 
was  one  of  those  fathers  who  labored  hard,  with  little  com- 
pensation, laying  the  foundations  of  our  history.  He  was 
pastor  in  Newburyport  for  many  years. 

Joseph  W.  Eaton  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Mr.  Knowles.  He 
graduated  at  Harvard  University,  pursued  a  course  of  study 
at  Newton,  and,  on  graduating,  took  the  pastoral  charge  of  the 
First  Church  in  Lowell,  as  the  successor  of  Rev.  E.  W.  Free- 
man. He  was  subsequently  settled  with  the  churches  in 
Springfield,  Keeseville,  N.Y.,  Danversport,  and  other  places. 
He  yet  lives  ;  but,  by  ill  health,  is  laid  aside  from  pulpit  labors. 

Nathaniel  Hervey,  baptized  by  Rev.  Mr.  Knowles,  and 
alter  preparatory  studies,  graduated  at  Newton  in  1833.  On 
entering  the  ministry,  he  settled  at  Westboro',  Medford,  East 
Cambridge,  Andover,  and  some  other  places,  where  he  was 
largely  useful.  Embracing  the  doctrines  of  William  Miller, 
Mr.  Hervey  preached  them  for  some  years ;  but  at  length  re- 
turned to  the  denomination  which  he  left,  and  died  in  its  com- 
munion in  1855. 


37 

Martin  T.  Sumner  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Mr.  Knowles,  and 
graduated  at  Brown  University.  From  this  Church  he  was 
dismissed  to  the  Second  Baptist  Church  in  Richmond,  Va.  He 
was  ordained,  and  became  pastor  of  a  Church  near  that  city, 
and  afterwards  removed  farther  south.  In  the  bitter  Rebellion 
he  has  taken  sides  against  the  Government  of  our  country. 

George  W.  Patch,  baptized  by  Rev.  Mr.  Knowles  in  1841, 
and  after  graduating  at  Brown  University,  and  spending  some 
time  at  Newton,  and  being  licensed  to  preach  by  the  First 
Church,  was  ordained  at  Wenham,  Mass.,  where  his  first  pas- 
toral labors  were  performed.  He  was  afterward  settled  at 
Sharon,  and  now  for  nearly  seventeen  years  has  been  the  labori- 
ous and  earnest  pastor  of  the  Church  in  Marblehead.  In  1864 
and  1865,  he  occupied  a  seat  in  the  Massachusetts  Legislature, 
being  elected  by  his  fellow-townsmen,  mainly  with  reference 
to  the  interests  of  temperance  and  liberty ;  his  failing  health 
leading  him  to  accept  the  position. 

Oliver  A.  Dodge  was  a  native  of  Hampton  Falls,  and  joined 
this  Church  by  letter  in  1833.  In  1834  he  was  settled  as  pastor 
of  the  Church  in  Lexington,  where  he  died  soon  after. 

Pearley  P.  Sanderson,  a  man  of  excellent  character  and 
sincere  piety,  was  settled  at  Beverly  Farms,  and  has  been 
a  pastor  in  several  other  places,  where  he  has  labored  with 
much  fidelity. 

John  Cannan  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Dr.  Stow.  He  had 
been  a  Pedobaptist  minister,  and,  after  his  union  with  this 
Church,  labored  as  a  city  missionary,  but  soon  went  to  his 
long  home. 

David  A.  Richardson  joined  by  letter  under  Mr.  Knowles's 
pastorate.  A  short  time  after  Dr.  Stow's  settlement,  lie  ap- 
plied to  the  Church  for  a  license  to  preach,  which  was  refused. 
He  returned  to  Vermont,  whence  he  came,  removed  his  mem- 
bership to  Londonderry,  was  licensed  and  ordained,  and  died 
many  years  ago. 

Benjamin  C.  Thomas,  now  a  faithful  missionary  at  Eenthada, 
Burmah,  was  baptized  by  Dr.  Stow,  Oct.  28,  1838.  He  >ul>- 
seipiently  became  amember  of  the  Harvard-street  Church,  with 
which  he  is  now  connected.  He  was  the  founder  of  one  or 
two  mission  schools  while  pursuing  his  studies  at  Newton,and 


38 

has  been  the  instrument  of  great  good  since  he  commenced 
his  labors  in  Burmah. 

Alvah  Hovey,  D.D.,  baptized  elsewhere,  and  united  here 
by  letter.  On  graduating  at  the  Theological  Institution  at 
Newton,  he  was  appointed  Professor  of  Christian  Theology, 
and  has  held  that  position  up  to  this  time,  filling  the  chair 
with  great  ability.  A  treatise  on  "  Miracles  "  has  just  come 
from  his  pen. 

Thomas  W.  Clark,  received  by  letter,  and  has  been  in  the 
army  as  chaplain,  having  previously  preached  at  Nantucket. 

Willard  P.  Upham  was  baptized  by  Dr.  Stow,  April  16, 
1837,  and  has  spent  most  of  his  ministerial  life  as  a  devoted 
missionary  among  the  Cherokees  ;  but  is  now  residing  near  the 
city  of  Boston. 

James  W.  Capen,  baptized  by  Rev.  Dr.  Stow,  April  5,  1838, 
licensed  to  preach  by  this  Church,  ordained  in  this  house, 
and,  settling  in  California,  became  an  Episcopalian. 

Henry  F.  Lane,  baptized  by  Dr.  Stow,  April  26,  1840,  was 
licensed  to  preach  by  this  Church,  and  has  been  settled  in  New 
London,  N.H.,  North  Dorchester,  and  Lawrence.  He  is  now 
doing  faithful  service  as  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Ports- 
mouth, N.H. 

Robert  Henry  Harlow  was  baptized  by  Dr.  Stow,  June  7, 
1835.  He  has  been  settled  at  Osterville  on  Cape  Cod,  and 
has  done  some  service  in  other  places,  preaching  as  an 
occasional  supply.  He  graduated  at  Brown  University  and 
at  Newton. 

Elisha  V.  Glover,  a  business  man  of  Camden,  N.J.,  who, 
feeling  the  necessity  of  a  new  meeting-house  in  a  destitute 
part  of  the  city,  built  a  most  commodious  house  of  worship,  in 
which  he  preaches  the  Gospel  to  an  efficient  Church.  He  was 
baptized  by  Mr.  Knowles,  May  6,  1827. 

J.  C.  Hartshorn  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Mr.  Knowles,  grad- 
uated at  Brown  University  and  at  Newton  Institution.  He 
entered  the  ministry,  and  was  settled  for  several  years  at 
Georgetown,  Mass.,  when  failing  health  caused  him  to  resort 
to  secular  business,  which  he  now  pursues  in  the  city  of  Prov- 
idence. 

George  M.  Condron  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Dr.  Tucker,  May 


39 

6,  1849,  pursued  a  course  of  study  at  Rochester,  and,  after 
various  labors,  entered  the  Federal  army  as  a  chaplain,  where 
he  made  himself  useful  to  the  brave  men  in  arms. 

Henry  Hincklt,  pastor  of  the  Church  in  Winchester,  where 
he  was  ordained  in  18G0,  the  present  pastor  of  Baldwin  Place 
having  preached  the  sermon  on  the  occasion.  He  was  baptized 
by  Rev.  Dr.  Tucker,  June  5,  1849,  with  twenty  other  persons. 

Charles  C.  Miller,  who  has  labored  in  the  West.  He  was 
baptized  by  Dr.  Caldicott  in  1854,  and  ordained  Feb.  1858,  at 
Alpine,  Mich. 

J.  Judson  Miller,  the  pastor  of  the  Church  in  Somerville, 
baptized  by  Dr.  Caldicott  in  1855,  ordained  Sept.  17,  1861, 
and  has  of  late  been  much  prospered  in  the  work  of  the  Lord, 
a  revival  having  attended  his  labors. 

A.  M.  Higgins,  baptized  by  Rev.  Dr.  Stow,  March  27,  1842, 
graduated  at  Brown  University  and  Newton  Institution,  li- 
censed to  preach  the  Gospel  by  this  Church,  July  24,  1855, 
ordained  in  this  house  in  1857,  and  has  been  settled  in  Leo- 
minster and  Plaistow,  where  he  exerted  a  healthful  and  salu- 
tary influence. 

Stephen  Pillsbury,  baptized  by  Dr.  Stow,  after  hesitating 
long  as  to  duty,  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church 
in  Dunbarton,  N.H.,  where  he  now  is  laboring  as  a  minister  of 
the  Gospel. 

Samuel  T.  Frost  was  baptized  by  Rev.  James  Belcher, 
and  feeling  it  his  duty  to  enter  the  Gospel  ministry,  made  ap- 
plication, but  was  discouraged  by  his  pastor.  The  claims  of 
the  work  led  him  to  seek  encouragement  elsewhere,  and  he 
was  ordained  by  the  Free  Will  Baptists  at  Andover,  N.H., 
but  not  feeling  that  he  was  in  the  right  place  among  them, 
returned  to  us,  and  is  now  preaching  to  the  Baptist  Church  in 
Lexington. 

William  S.  Barnes,  the  last  of  all  the  ministers  who  have 
gone  out  from  us.  He  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Dr.  Tucker,  and 
ordained  in  Melrose,  where  he  now  preaches  the  Gospel  of 
our  Lord  very  acceptably. 

One  member  of  the  Church,  John  S.  Holmes,  is  now  pursuing 
a  course  of  study,  preparatory  to  the  ministry,  at  Rochester, 
N.Y. 


40 

"While  pastor  at  Baldwin  Place,  Dr.  Stow  baptized,  at  Fed- 
eral Street,  nineteen  persons,  among  whom  were  Alfred  Coburn, 
May  5,  1833,  and  Lyman  Jewett,  July  7,  1833.  The  former 
is  qow  a  pastor  in  New  Hampshire,  and  the  latter  a  beloved 
missionary  at  Nellore,  India.  Dr.  Stow  also  baptized  Susan  II. 
Stone,  April  22,  1836,  now  wife  of  Rev.  Mr.  Ward,  of  Assam. 

There  are  probably  others,  who,  having  been  members  of 
this  Church,  have  gone  into  the  ministry.  We  look  upon  the 
array  of  piety  and  talent  they  present  as  one,  and  not  the 
slightest,  proof  of  the  usefulness  of  this  body. 

Time  would  fail  me  to  mention  even  the  names  of  the  excel- 
lent laymen  who  have  gone  out  from  this  altar,  and  have  filled 
positions  of  trust  and  honor  in  the  Church  and  in  the  world. 
There  is  scarcely  a  Church  which  has  not  more  or  less  repre- 
sentatives of  Baldwin  Place  in  it,  — Deacons  Lincoln  and  Lewis, 
of  Rowe  Street;  Smith,  of  Shawmut  Church;  Wilbur,  of  Bow- 
doin  Square;  Chipman  and  Perkins,  of  the  Temple;  Woodman, 
of  the  First  Church,  Charlestown;  Vialle,  of  the  Bethel;  Hart, 
of  Dudley  street;  Jones,  of  Cary  Avenue  Church;  Hunter,  of 
Maiden ;  Taylor,  of  Union  Church  ;  Carleton,  of  the  Central 
Church,  Salem ;  Brown,  of  Watertown  ;  Charter,  of  Somer- 
ville,  and  many  others  of  pious  life  and  hope.  The  Church 
seems  to  have  been  a  great  manufactory  to  turn  out  useful  men 
and  women  for  the  cause  and  service  of  Christ ;  and  holy  per- 
sons, filling  all  the  positions  of  trust  in  Church  and  State* 
have  gone  out  from  this  altar,  —  gone  to  bless  and  save  the 
world. -(• 

*  Gov.  Joseph  A.  Gilmore  of  New  Hampshire  was  a  member  of  Baldwin 
Place.  Hon.  J.  Warren  Men-ill,  {he  present  mayor  of  Cambridge,  was  also  a 
member  here.     Both  were  baptized  by  Dr.  Stow. 

t  Since  this  discourse  was  delivered,  several  of  the  most  aged  members  of 
the  Church  have  gone  to  their  reward.  Among  these  are  Miss  Sarah  Bum- 
stead,  who  died  on  the  10th  of  April,  1865,  at  the  age  of  91  years,  and  Mr. 
Reuben  T.  Robinson,  who  died  April  16,  1865,  at  the  age  of  72  years.  The 
former  of  these  was  insane  many  years  previous  to  her  death  ;  but,  in  her 
lucid  moments,  Baldwin-Place  Church  was  the  subject  of  her  sweetest  thoughts, 
and  in  her  wanderings  nothing  would  so  quickly  recall  her  as  the  name  of  her 
former  sainted  pastor.  The  latter  died  calmly  and  serenely  in  his  house,  17 
Cooper  Street,  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him,  and  mourned  by  a  large  circle 
of  friends. 


41 


This  Church  has  been  very  blessed  in  its  contributions  of 
members  to  form  other  Churches  in  the  city  and  vicinity.  In 
1807  it  became  evident  that  another  Church,  nearer  that  south 
toward  which  we  are  moving,  was  needed,  and  the  Charles- 


Charles- Street   Church. 

Street  Church  was  formed.  A  committee  consisting  of  Thomas 
Kendall,  Samuel  Adams,  and  Heman  Lincoln  was  appointed 
by  the  South-End  brethren  and  sisters  to  address  a  letter  to 
this  Church,  asking  the  advice  and  counsel  of  the  body.  In 
answer,  letters  were  granted  to  nineteen  persons ;  and,  on  the 
7th  of  August,  they,  with  five  from  the  First  Church,  were 
constituted  the  Third  Baptist  Church.  The  meeting-house 
was  dedicated  the  same  day.  The  house  erected  by  the  new 
Church  is  here  given.  It  was  built  of  brick,  seventy-five  feet 
square,  exclusive  of  the  tower.  It  cost  $27,000,  and  in  the 
tower  was  placed  the  first  bell  the  Baptists  ever  had  in  the  city. 
Rev.  Caleb  Blood,  of  Shaftsbury,  Vt.,  became  pastor ;  and  in 
1812,  Rev.  Daniel  Sharp  succeeded  him,  and  remained  pastor 
until  his  death  in  1853. 

The  relations  between  the  Second  and  Third  Churches  were 
always  amicable.  Dr.  Baldwin  preached  the  sermon  when  the 
Third  Church  was  formed,  and  also  took  part  at  the  recognition 
of  Mr.  Sharp.     Dr.  Sharp  was  followed  in  the  pastorate  by  Rev. 

6 


42 


J.  C.  Stockbridge,  and  Dr.  Stockbridge  was  succeeded,  in  18G2, 
by  Rev.  William  Hague,  D.D.,  as  the  present  minister.* 

When,  in  1825,  it  became  evident  that  another  Church  was 
needed  to  meet  the  growing  wants  of  Boston,  the  old  Church 
was  ready  and  willing  to  send  out  her  sons  and  daughters 
to  assist  in  the  formation  of  the  Federal  (now  Rowe)  Street 
Church.     A  preliminary  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  Dr. 


Eowe-Street  Church. 


Baldwin  on  the  25th  of  February :  other  meetings  followed ; 
and  a  lot  of  ground  was  secured  for  an  edifice,  the  corner- 

*  Dr.  Hague  has  since  become  pastor  of  Shawmut- Avenue  Church. 


43 


stone  of  which  was  laid  Sept.  25, 1826.  It  was  of  brick,  eighty- 
six  by  seventy-six  feet  in  dimensions,  and  contained  a  hun. 
dred  and  fifty-one  pews.  The  land  cost  $15,348,  and  the  house 
was  built  in  shares  of  a  hundred  dollars  each;  two  hundred 
shares  being  taken  up.  Dr.  Baldwin  did  not  live  to  lay  the  cor- 
ner-stone and  dedicate  the  edifice ;  but  the  people  were  ad- 
dressed at  the  consecration  of  the  house  by  Mr.  Knowles.  his 
successor.  Of  the  forty-five  persons  organized  as  a  Church, 
July  16,  1827,  twenty-four  were  from  Baldwin  Place.  Driven 
out  by  business,  the  Church  removed,  and  in  1847  erected  the 
fine  house  of  which  a  view  is  here  given  ;  and  the  pastors 
have  been, —  Howard  Maicom,  G.  B.  Ide,  Handel  G.  Nott, 
William  Hague,  and  Baron  Stow.  Soon  a  new  movement  was 
made  for  another  Church.  The  population  rolling  south- 
ward made  it  necessary  that  a  new  colony  should  be  plant- 
ed; and  though  it  did  not  spring  as  directly  from  this  Church 
as  did  the  others,  yet  Baldwin  Place  contributed  to  it  many 
valuable  members;  the  larger  number  being  from  Federal 
Street  and  Charles  Street.  A  few  friends  met,  Sept.  6,  1838, 
at  the  house  of  John  F.  Edwards,  and  after  prayer  resolved  to 
make  a   beginning.     A  room  was  hired  over  the  Boylston 


'Harvard-street  Jiaptist   Church. 


Market;  and  on  the  27th  of  March,  1839,  the  Church  was  publicly 

recognized.     In   1840  the  Church  removed  to  the  Me'o  leon  ; 


44 


a  revival  of  religion  followed  ;  a  pastor,  Rev.  Robert  Turnbull, 
P.D.,  was  settled,  the  services  of  installation  being  held  in 
Charles-Street  Church.  The  house  on  the  corner  of  Harrison 
Avenue  and  Harvard  Street  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $40,000, 
and  was  dedicated  as  the  Harvard-Street  Baptist  Church,  and 
Robert  Turnbull,  Joseph  Banvard,  A.  H.  Burlingham,  D.  C. 
Eddy,  and  Warren  Randolph,  have  been  pastors.  The  same 
year  a  delegation  went  from  this  body  to  assist  in  the  for- 
mation of  the  Church  worshipping  in  Tremont  Temple.  The 
old  Tremont  Theatre  was  purchased ;  and  nineteen  of  our 
members  united  with  others  in  the  formation  of  a  Church  de- 
signed to  furnish  free  seats  to  all  who  should  attend,  and  also 
to  take  radical  antimasonic  and  antislavery  ground.  The 
Temple  was  commenced  in  1844,  and  after  various  struggles  the 
present  Tremont  Temple  was  completed  and  dedicated  to  the 
service  of  God,  and  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  spacious 
halls  for  public  gatherings  on  this  continent.  It  is  held  by  a 
corporation,  and  the  Church  have  the  free  use  of  the  audience- 
room  on  the  Sabbath-day,  and  no  charge  is  made  for  seats. 


Tremont   Tonple. 

About  the  same  time  the  claims  of  the  West  End  were 
urged  ;  and  a  Church  in  that  locality  was  suggested.  Several 
able  and  influential  brethren,  among  whom  were  Asa  Wilbur 
and  Benjamin  Smith  of  this  Church,  and  Moses  Pond  of 
the  First  Church,  had  several  meetings,  and,  after  much 
discussion  and  prayer,  resolved  to  organize  themselves  into 


15 


a  Church  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  A  lot  of  land  on  the  north 
side  of  Bowdoin  Square  was  selected ;  and  a  substantial  gran- 
ite edifice,  ninety-six  feet  in  height,  exclusive  of  the  tower, 
and  costing  upwards  of  $70,000,  was  built.  The  Church  was 
constituted  Sept.  17,  1840,  with  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
members,  of  whom  seventy-nine  were  from  Baldwin-Place. 
R.  W.  Cushman,  Pharcellus  Church,  William  H.  Wines,  J.  N. 
Murdock,  and  0.  T.  Walker,  have  been  pastors  of  the  Bowdoin- 
Square  Church. 


Eowdoin-Sqtiare   Church. 

Besides  these,  the  Church  in  Hingham,  the  two  Churches  in 
Somerville,  the  Bunker-hill  Church  in  Charlestown,  and  several 
others  in  the  city  and  out  of  it,  have  drawn  largely  on  tin's 
venerable  body. 

But  the  history  of  Baldwin-Place  Church  in  this  section  of 
the  city  terminates  to-day.  Next  Sabbath  we  shall  worship  in 
another  place,  and  be  surrounded  by  other  circumstances. 
The  chapel  on  Canton  Street,  built  by  the  Shawmut  Congre- 
gational Church,  and  which  afterwards  cradled  the  Shawmut 
Baptist  Church  and  the  Church  of  the  Unity,  has  been  hired 
for  a  temporary  home.*     It  will  seat  nearly  live  hundred  per- 

*  At  $300  per  annum.  Services  were  commenced  here  .Tan.  8,  L865.  The 
audience  the  fii>t  Sabbath  morning  consisted  of  thirty-seven  persons. 


46 

sons  ;  and,  when  carpeted  and  furnished,  will  be  a  pleasant  and 
commodious  meeting-place.  In  the  mean  while  plans  are  being 
drawn  for  a  new  house  of  worship,  which,  as  soon  as  estimates 
can  be  secured,  will  be  presented  to  the  public.  It  is  proposed 
to  commence  work  as  soon  as  the  opening  spring  will  allow 
the  spade  of  the  laborer  to  upturn  the  earth ;  and  we  hope,  in 
time,  to  finish  a  Church  which  shall  be  an  ornament  to  the  city, 
a  home  for  souls,  and  an  earthly  dwelling-place  for  God. 

In  leaving  this  spot,  we  do  not  feel  that  we  are  leaving 
North  End  without  Baptist  preaching  and  gospel  ordinances ; 
for  the  Bethel  Society  having  purchased  at  an  expense  of 
$30,000  the  Universalist  meeting-house  on  the  corner  of  Han- 
over and  Bennett  Streets,  which  was  erected  in  1838,  it  has 
been  opened  for  the  excellent  seaman's  chaplain,  Rev.  Phineas 
Stowe,  who,  since  1845,  has  been  laboring  in  this  city  for 
landsmen  and  seamen.  Thus,  on  the  spot  where  John  Murray 
preached  original  Universalism,  and  within  the  walls  erected 
for  Sebastian  Streeter,  the  converts  gathered  by  Thomas  Bald- 
win may  find  a  home. 

The  past  is  all  registered  in  heaven ;  the  toils,  the  sacri- 
fices, the  whole  history,  of  this  Church,  from  1743  to  18G5,  is 
all  sealed  up  for  the  last  day.  Of  the  twelve  pastors  who  have 
preached  here,  seven  have  passed  away.  Of  the  deacons  who 
have  officiated  here,  almost  all  have  gone  home ;  and  others 
are  only  waiting  until  the  angel-call  is  heard,  and  they  go  up 
to  the  Church  on  high. 

Brethren  and  fathers,  how  strange  and  eventful  the  times  in 
which  we  live  !  How  august  the  events  that  are  passing 
around  us  !  How  little  did  the  founders  of  this  Church  think 
of  the  scenes  amid  which  we  find  ourselves  to-day  !  Dr.  Stow, 
in  closing  his  centennial  discourse,  July  27, 1843,  remarked : 
"  When  another  hundred  years  shall  have  finished  their  circuit 
and  another  pastor  shall  stand  here  to  add  a  second  chapter  to 
her  history,  all  we,  and  many  hundreds  of  our  successors,  shall 
have  passed  on  to  our  eternal  home.  And  what  shall  be  the 
contents  of  that  additional  chapter?  What  names  and  dates 
will  supply  the  vacancy  in  that  mural  tablet?  Whose  voice 
will  then,  in  thunder-tones,  proclaim  here  the  truths  of  the 
everlasting  Gospel  ?    Who  will  then,  in  yonder  choir,  sing  the 


47 

praises  of  the  most  high  God-?  Who  will  be  the  pastor  of  the 
associate  Churches  ?  What  will  be  the  condition  of  our  country  ? 
Will  she  still  be  a  Republic,  free,  united,  intelligent,  prosper- 
ous,— the  beacon',  to  the  nations,  of  political  wisdom  and  moral 
virtue  ?  Will  Protestant  Christianity  then  be  the  prevalent 
religion  of  the  land  ?  Will  slavery,  that  foul  offence  against 
both  God  and  man,  be  effectually  and  forever  abolished  ?"  Not 
one  hundred  years,  but  less  than  one-fourth  of  that  time,  has 
rolled  away ;  and  the  old  Church  has  put  on  her  garments,  taken 
her  staff,  and  prepared  to  depart  to  another  field  of  usefulness. 
Less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  gone  ;  and  the  preacher 
of  that  centennial  sermon  has  entered  another  field,  and  the 
Church  has  had  five  pastors  since  then !  Less  than  a  quarter 
of  a  century  has  rolled  away ;  and  every  Baptist  pastor  in  the 
city  at  that  time,  with  one  exception,*  has  vacated  his  pulpit : 
and  most  of  the  Churches  have  changed  pastors  repeatedly  ! 
Less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  expired,  and  the  Republic 
has  been  convulsed  with  the  most  stupendous  civil  war  the 
world  has  ever  seen,  the  States  have  been  rent  asunder,  and 
all  the  hopes  of  Constitutional  liberty  have  been  placed  in 
peril !  Less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  been  added  to 
the  returnless  past,  and  "  slavery,  that  foul  offence  against  God 
and  man,"  has  received  its  death-blow;  and,  while  we  are  gather- 
ing strength  for  our  departure  to  a  new  field  of  labor,  the  land 
is  rocking  with  the  joy  felt  on  the  passage  of  the  Constitutional 
Amendment  that  blots  the  system  out  forever  !  Who,  on  the 
twenty-seventh  day  of  July,  1843,  would  have  dared  predict 
such  changes  ?  Who  then  would  have  deemed  such  a  war  with- 
in the  bounds  of  possibility?  Who  would  have  dreamed  of 
the  extinction  of  slavery  in  a  sea  of  blood  ?  The  mind  of  the 
preacher  on  that  occasion  seemed  to  struggle  with  the  idea, 
that,  in  a  century,  God  might  work  some  great  change,  that 
some  mighty  events  would  startle  the  globe ;  but  no  one  here 
that  day  dreamed  of  what  we  see.  History  has  Keen  written 
a  volume  in  a  month.  Events  have  crowded  upon  each  other 
thick  and  fast,  until  we  stand  appalled  at  the  magnitude  of  the 
procession  of  changes. 

*  Dr.  Ncale  of  the  First  Church,  settled  in  1837. 


48 

» 

And  the  future — what  shall  it  be?  —  the  future  of  this 
Church,  the  future  of  Boston,  the  future  of  America?  Events 
ripen  so  fast,  that  we  cannot  look  forward  a  century.  A  single 
decade,  —  a  single  year,  —  how  full  it  seems  of  change,  commo- 
tion, revolution  !  What  revolutions  in  human  condition  !  What 
changes  in  the  opinions  of  men  !  What  strides  of  science  ! 
what  advancement  of  art !     What  triumphs  of  intellect ! 

And  now  we  shut  the  book,  and  close  the  record.  Prepare 
ye  for  the  arduous  work  before  you.  The  field  in  which  the 
new  house  is  to  be  built  is  far  from  here  ;  and  it  will  be 
with  difficulty  that  some  of  you  can  get  there.  But  one  thing 
we  ask  of  you  to-night.  Go  on  with  us,  whatever  may  be  the 
inconvenience,  until  the  Church  finds  a  resting-place  and  a 
lodgement  in  its  new  home.  Do  not  falter  in  the  hour  of  peril. 
The  Church  has  voted  to  remove  :  forsake  her  not  until  she 
shall  enter  the  Land  of  Promise.  It  will  be  a  sacrifice  ;  but  we 
have  a  right  to  ask  it  of  you.  For  Zion's  sake ;  for  the  old 
Church,  who  took  you  in  when  you  were  converted ;  for  Christ's 
sake,  ■ — ■  make  what  sacrifice  is  demanded  in  this  enterprise.  We 
cannot,  while  removing,  afford  to  lose  the  prayers,  the  faith, 
the  labors,  or  the  contributions,  of  one  single  member.  Let 
this  be  the  earnest  Christian  determination  of  all,  — that,  come 
what  will,  Baldwin-Place  Church  shall  not  be  abandoned  until 
its  new  edifice  is  built,  and  its  future  is  secured.* 

*  The  society  was  so  successful  in  making  arrangements,  that  a  lot  of  land  of 
ample  size  was  secured  on  the  corner  of  Warren  Avenue  and  Canton  Street, 
and  the  building  was  commenced  on  the  23d  of  May,  1865.  The  house  is  in 
Norman- Gothic  style  of  architecture,  113  feet  long,  and  110  feet  wide  in  the 
transepts.  A  tower  and  spire  ornamental  in  appearance  will  grace  the  north-east 
corner.  The  materials  will  be  brick,  with  brown-stone  trimmings.  The  inte- 
rior will  be  finished  in  black  walnut  and  chestnut  combined.  The  ceiling  will 
be  finished  with  the  clear-story,  and  the  whole  will  be  lighted  with  tinted  and 
ground  glass.  It  is  expected  that  the  house  will  seat  about  1200  persons,  and 
with  the  land  will  cost  about  $90,000.  It  is  expected  that  the  corner-stone 
will  be  laid  about  the  first  of  July,  and  that  the  edifice  will  be  completed  in 
about  one  year  from  the  date  of  its  commencement,  while  some  hopes  are 
cherished  that  the  lecture-room  may  be  ready  for  occupancy  by  Christmas  of 
the  present  year.  The  building  committee  consists  of  Messrs.  William  E. 
Smith,  A.  G.  Stimson,  J.  E.  Daniels,  Thomas  Mair,  Joseph  Sawyer,  and  C.  A. 
Vialle. 


49 

And  now,  farewell !  Farewell  to  these  hallowed  walls,  to 
these  precious  associations,  to  these  tender  scenes!  And  yet 
the  Church  does  not  die.  We  have  nothing  here  hut  bricks, 
mortar,  and  beams.  The  Church  has  a  future.  "  Through 
death  to  life  "  is  the  history  of  men,  churches,  and  nations. 
Things  that  die,  die  to  live  again. 

"  The  star  is  not  extinguished  when  it  sets 
Upon  the  dull  horizon  :  it  but  goes 
To  shine  in  other  skies,  then  re-appear 
In  ours,  as  fresh  as  when  it  first  arose. 

"  The  river  is  not  lost  when  o'er  the  rock 
It  pours  its  flood  into  the  abyss  below  : 
Its  scattered  force  regathering  from  the  shock, 
It  hastens  onward  with  yet  fuller  flow. 

"  The  bright  sun  dies  not  when  the  shadowing  orb 
Of  the  eclipsing  moon  obscures  its  ray  : 
It  still  is  shining  on  ;  and  soon  to  us 

Will  burst  undimmed  into  the  joy  of  day. 

"  The  fine  gold  has  not  perished  when  the  flame 
Seizes  upon  it  with  consuming  glow  : 
In  freshened  splendor  it  comes  forth  anew 
To  sparkle  on  the  monarch's  throne  or  brow. 

"  Thus  nothing  dies,  or  only  dies  to  live  : 

Star,  stream,  sun,  flower,  the  dewdrop,  and  the  gold,  — 
Each  goodly  thing,  instinct  with  buoyant  hope,  — 
Hastes  to  put  on  its  purer,  finer  mould." 

Through  this  separation,  this  sundering  of  ties,  this  breaking 
up  of  affections,  comes  the  prolonged  life  and  continued  history 
of  the  old  Church.  Whatever  may  become  of  this  venerable 
structure,  Baldwin-Place  Church  will  live,  —  live  when  we 
are  dead. 

Where  are  the  godly  men  who  once  ministered  at  this  altar, 
bore  the  burdens  of  the  Church,  or  were  pillars  in  the  house, 
of  God?  Where  arc  the  men  whose  names  you  love  to  hear, 
—  Ensign  Lincoln,  Jacob  I  Tiler,  Jonathan  Carleton,  Edward 
Smith,  Ezra  Chamberlain,  Ezra  Eaton,  and  many  others  of  pre- 

7 


50 


cious  faith  ?  Dead  ;  but  the  Church  lives !  And  how  soon 
Heman  Lincoln,  who  remembers  well  when  there  were  but 
two  Baptist  Churches  in  this  city,  and  Jonathan  Loring,  who 
was  born  in  1785,  and  many  other  of  the  aged  saints,  will  be 
before  the  throne  of  God  !  —  but  the  Church  will  live.  God 
is  in  her  history,  and  he  gives  her  immortality. 

"  Glorious  things  are  spoken  of  thee,  0  city  of  God  !  I  will 
make  mention  of  Rahab  and  Babylon  to  them  that  love  thee. 
Behold  Philistia  and  Tyre,  with  Ethopia !  this  man  was  born 
there.  And  of  Zion  it  shall  be  said,  This  and  that  man  was 
born  in  her ;  and  the  Highest  himself  shall  establish  her.  The 
Lord  shall  count,  when  lie  writeth  up  the  people,  that  this  man 
was  born  there.  As  well  the  singers  as  the  players  on  instru- 
ments shall  be  there.    All  my  springs  are  in  thee." 


APPENDIX 


Baldwin-Place  Church  property  having  been  sold  to  a  corporation  of 
gentlemen,  to  be  known  as  the  "Baldwin-Place  Home  for  Little  Wanderers," 
memorial  services  were  held  on  Sunday  and  Monday,  Feb.  12  and  13,  1865. 
On  Sunday  afternoon,  the  Lord's  Supper  was  administered  to  a  large  company 
of  past  and  present  members  of  the  church.  Baron  Stow,  D.D.,  broke  the 
bread,  assisted  by  Rev.  Stephen  Remington,  the  late  pastor,  and  Rev.  Daniel 
C.  Eddy,  D.D.,  the  present  pastor. 

At  the  close  of  the  service,  the  hand  of  Church-fellowship  was  extended  to 
the  last  person  baptized  in  the  house ;  and  addresses  were  made  by  Rev. 
Stephen  Remington,  Hon.  Heman  Lincoln,  Rev.  George  Carleton,  Edward 
Chamberlain,  Jonathan  Loring,  A.  G.  Stimson,  and  others.  The  service  was 
tender,  solemn,  and  memorable. 

On  Sunday  evening,  the  exercise  was  opened  by  the  singing  of  the  following 
hymn,  written   by  Gen.  B.  F.  Edmands,  for  forty  years  connected  with  the 

choir  : — 

We  venerate  the  house 

Our  fathers  reared  to  God ; 
In  which,  in  days  of  yore, 
He  fixed  his  blest  abode. 
What  glories  are  described  of  old ! 
What  wonders  are  of  Zion  told! 

From  habitations  near 

Came  up  a  numerous  train, 
Who  found  rich  blessings  here 
Which  filled  their  homes  again; 
For  grace,  and  faith,  and  mighty  love 
Revealing  to  them  life  above. 

In  these  our  later  times 

Thy  dealings,  Lord,  ordain : 

Thy  children's  homes   shall  be 

Far  from  this  sacred  fane: 

Thy  will  directs,  we  leave  its  walls, 

And  Charity  approves  the  calls. 

Though  oft,  in  foregone  time 
Thy  special  presence  came 
To  these  thy  holy  courts, 
Here  to  record  thy  name, 
Yet  thus,  where'er  thy  saints  convene, 
There  they  will  meet  the  Almighty  King. 


52 

0  Lord  of  Hosts !  how  prized 

Thy  tabernacles  are, 
By  all  the  pious  throngs 
Who  pay  their  service  there ! 
Where  Faith,  bright  seraph,  points  the  way 
To  realms  of  everlasting  day. 

The  memorial  sermon  was  then  preached  by  the  pastor;  Rev.  R.  II.  Neale, 
D.D.,  of  the  First  Church,  and  Rev.  J.  D.  Fulton,  of  Tremont  Temple,  offered 
prayers;  and  the  benediction  was  pronounced  by  Rev.  Stephen  Remington. 

On  Monday  afternoon,  a  large  congregation  filled  the  spacious  house.  Rev. 
J.  Warren  Eaton,  a  former  member,  read  the  Scriptures  ;  Rev.  T.  O.  Walker, 
of  Bowdoin  Square,  offered  prayer;  and  addresses  were  made  by  Rev.  S. 
Remington,  N.  O.  Hart,  of  Roxbury,  J.  Loring,  Taylor,  and  Clapp,  of  Cam- 
bridge, Loring,  of  Rowe  Street,  Wilbur,  of  Bowdoin  Square,  Stimson  and 
Caswell,  of  Baldwin  Place,  Rev.  A.  M.  Higgins,  a  former  member,  the  pastor, 
and  others.  It  was  ascertained  that  there  were  present  at  this  service  twenty- 
five  persons  who  had  been  baptized  by  Rev.  Dr.  Baldwin,  twenty-nine  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Knowles,  ninety-one  by  Rev.  Dr.  Stow,  and  sixteen  by  Rev.  Dr.  Tucker. 
The  exercises  were  closed  by  the  singing  of  a  hymn  by  the  congregation,  and 
the  benediction  by  Rev.  Dr.  Smith,  of  Newton.  The  friends  then  repaired 
to  the  vestry,  and  partook  of  a  collation  which  had  been  provided.  Two  or 
three  hours  were  spent  in  the  most  agreeable  manner. 

In  the  evening,  the  house  was  again  filled.  Rev.  J.  C.  Stockbridge,  D.D., 
read  the  Scriptures.  Rev.  J.  Tilson,  of  Hingham,  offered  prayer.  The  fol- 
lowing hymn,  written  for  the  occasion  by  Rev.   S.   D.   Phelps,  D.D.,  was 

sung. 

What  holy  memories,  Lord,  to-day 

Cluster  within  these  ancient  walls, 
Where  oft  our  fathers  met  to  pray, 

And  hear  the  Gospel's  trumpet-calls ! 

Here  rose  their  grateful   praise  to  heaven, 

Here  came  the  Spirit  with  the  Word: 
Manua  divine  to  saints  was  given; 

And  sinners  found  by  faith  the  Lord. 

In  glory  now  are  precious  throngs 

Who  saw  the  cross,  and  bore  it  here ; 
In  scenes  of  trial  sang  their  songs, 

In  rapt  communion  dropped  a  tear. 

Children  of  this  dear  mother's  name, 

If  yet  around  the  sacred  place, 
Or  other  fields  their  labor  claim, 

0  Father,  bless  with  richest  grace ! 

Farewell,  sweet  spot  of  loved  renown ! 

Thy  name  shall  hallow  still  our  home: 
Saviour,  go  with  us,  bless,  and  crown 

With  brighter  glories  years  to  come! 


53 

The  pastor  then  read  the  following  letter  from  Rev.  Dr.  Stow,  who  was 
prevented  from  being  present  on  account  of  illness. 

My  dear  Brethren  and  Friends,  —  I  feel  it  a  severe  afflic- 
tion that  I  cannot  be  present,  and  participate  in  the  farewell  ser- 
vices which  you,  this  evening,  conclude.  And  yet,  perhaps,  it  is 
well  that  I  am  detained;  for  those  services,  with  their  multiplied 
associations,  would  make  a  draft  upon  my  sensibilities  which  I  might 
be  ill  able  to  bear.  I  can  easily  conceive,  that,  to  many  of  you,  the  oc- 
casion must  be  one  of  great  tenderness  and  solemnity.  Probably  some 
of  you  can  understand  why  it  would  be  to  me  profoundly  suggestive 
and  heart-touching.  Fifteen  years  and  eight  months  I  was  there  as 
pastor,  surrounded  and  sustained  by  a  faithful  band  of  co-laborers.  It 
was,  from  beginning  to  end,  a  period  of  severe  toil ;  but  it  was  not  less 
a  period  of  sweet  enjoyment.  My  memory  is  charged  with  the  facts, 
and  every  review  mellows  my  heart  with  emotion.  Hardly,  in  my  pres- 
ent physical  condition,  should  I  have  strength  to  endure  the  rush  of 
reminiscences  which,  were  I  to  be  with  you  this  evening,  would  surely 
come  up  with  overwhelming  force.  May  the  Saviour  be  present  by 
his  promised  Comforter,  directing  thought,  feeling,  and  utterance,  and 
making  the  whole  service  conducive  to  your  spiritual  benefit !  Let  none 
bid  adieu  to  a  spot  hallowed  by  such  sacred  memories,  till  they  shall 
have  consecrated  themselves  anew  to  Him  who  loved  them,  and  gave 
himself  for  them  !  The  first  service  in  that  house  was  prayer;  its  very 
walls  are  redolent  of  the  prayers  of  fifty-four  years  :  let  the  final  ser- 
vice be  prayer ! 

Perhaps  a  few  personal  recollections  may  not  be  unacceptable. 

Coming  direct  from  my  New-Hampshire  home,  one  hundred  miles 
away,  I  first  entered  Boston,  June  19,  1822,  and  stopped  with  Dr. 
Baldwin,  then  residing  in  the  large  wooden  house  at  the  north-west 
corner  of  Portland  and  Hanover  Streets.  To  see  that  godly  veteran 
had  long  been  my  desire.  When  he  resided  in  Canaan,  N.H.,  he  had 
often  preached  in  my  native  town ;  and  I  had  heard  the  older  people 
speak  warmly  of  his  sermons  in  private  dwellings,  in  barns,  and  in 
orchards,  and  of  his  baptizing  the  converted  in  streams,  which  had  to 
me,  on  that  account,  a  special  sacredness.  I  had  read  every  thing  from 
his  pen  that  came  in  my  way,  and  especially  the  quarterly  numbers  of  the 
"Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine,"  of  which,  for  many 
years,  he  was  sole  editor.  One  of  his  printed  sermons,  read  by  my  father 
to  his  family  on  a  sabbath  evening,  made  a  deep  impression  upon  my 
mind,  and  was  never  forgotten. 

The  man  of  God,  upon  whose  hospitality  I  had  no  claim,  gave  me  a 
cordial  welcome,  and   assigned  me  what  he  pleasantly  called   '•  The 


54 

prophet's  chamber."  To  him,  and  the  late  Ensign  Lincoln,  both  of 
precious  memory,  I  was  indebted  for  means  to  defray  the  expense  of 
my  passage  in  the  schooner  "  Reaper,"  Capt.  Percival,  to  Baltimore,  on 
my  way  to  enter  the  Columbian  College  at  Washington.  Brother  Lewis 
E.  Caswell,  then  keeping  a  shoe-store  in  Union  Street,  interested  him- 
self for  me,  and,  besides  other  favors,  gave  me  a  book,  "  Jones  on  tbe 
Trinity,"  which  I  still  have,  and  cherish  as  a  memento  of  appreciated 
kindness.  The  Rev.  Joseph  Elliot,  whom  I  had  known  in  the  country, 
was  then  pastor  of  the  Dudlcyrstreet  Church  in  Roxbury ;  and  I  walked 
out  to  see  him  and  acknowledge  some  tokens  of  his  generosity.  The 
long  road,  now  Washington  Street,  was  then  called,  in  different  sections, 
by  different  names,  —  as  Cornhill,  Marlborough  Street,  Newbury  Street, 
Orange  Street,  &c.  The  book-stores  of  Samuel  T.  Armstrong,  Lincoln 
and  Edmands,  Manning  and  Loring,  were  to  me  objects  of  interest,  for 
I  had  read  many  a  book  with  their  imprint.  I  looked  long  at  the  Old 
South  Church;  for  I  knew  its  history  in  connection  with  the  American 
Revolution.  As  I  passed  onward,  I  was  interested  in  the  signs  on 
shops  and  stores,  and  noted  especially  the  frequency  of  one,  —  "Li- 
censed to  keep  and  sell  gunpowder."  Beyond  Boylston  Market,  the 
buildings  were  mostly  of  wood,  and  scattered.  Much  of  the  space  was 
devoted  to  vegetable  and  flower  gardens,  with  shrubbery  and  fruit- 
trees.  In  what  is  now  Ward  Eleven,  a  city  in  itself,  there  was  but  one 
street ;  and  the  dwellings  were  very  few.  The  South  Cove,  on  the  one 
side,  and  Back  Bay  on  the  other,  were  visible  for  a  long  distance. 
There  was  the  isthmus;  and  I  thought  of  Charles  Wesley's  hymn, — 

"Lo!  on  a  narrow  neck  of  land," 

but,  as  I  could  see  across  the  waters  on  either  side,  I  could  not  ex- 
actly add,  — 

"  'Twixt  two  unbounded  seas  I  stand." 

As  it  was  then  high  tide,  I  noticed  at  one  point  that  the  water  on  each 
side  came  nearly  up  to  the  rude  fence.  In  the  pastures  were  masses 
of  conglomerate  rock,  or  pudding  stone,  and  clumps  of  barberry-bushes 
and  other  shrubs.  Little  did  I  then  dream  that  "  the  Neck  "  would,  in 
two  scores  of  years,  receive  such  a  dilatation,  and  have  lavished  upon 
it  such  an  outlay,  for  the  homes  of  a  swarming  population.  Roxbury 
was  then  too  far  off  for  "  annexation ;"  now  she  is  too  near  for  her 
long  to  avoid  that  result.  As  I  looked  over  the  expanse  of  Back  Bay, 
and  marked  the  long  line  of  beach,  there  was  no  prophecy  indicating 
that  the  Second  Baptist  Church,  nestled  at  the  foot  of  Copp's  Hill, 


55 

would  ever  be  transferred  to  a  point  then  far  out  from  the  shore,  and 
deeply  buried  in  tide-water. 

I  had  heard  of  Dr.  Baldwin's  theory,  that  "  the  way  to  learn  to 
preach  is  to  preach,"  but  did  not  suppose  he  would  call  for  a  specimen 
of  my  proficiency.  That  thing,  however,  he  did  in  his  own  peculiar 
way.  On  Friday  morning,  he  inquired  if  I  had  ever  preached :  my 
answer  was,  "  I  have  tried  a  few  times." — -"  Well,"  said  he,  "  did  you 
not  succeed  ?  This  evening  will  be  our  weekly  lecture  ;  and  I  wish 
you  to  give  them  a  plain  New-Hampshire  talk,  such  as  I  used  to  give 
the  folks  up  among  your  native  hills.  We  are  a  plain  people ;  and  you 
need  not  be  afraid."  I  had  then  more  confidence  in  my  ability  to 
preach  than  I  now  have,  and  required  not  much  urging  in  that  direc- 
tion. As  the  vestry,  on  the  south  side  of  the  narrow  court,  since 
widened  into  Baldwin  Place,  was  small  and  inconvenient,  the  service 
was  held  in  the  house  which  you  are  now  vacating ;  and  I  stood  at  the 
communion-table.  My  text  was,  Matt.  xvi.  26  :  "  What  is  a  man  prof- 
ited, if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul?"  Like 
most  other  beginners,  I  was  not  dismayed  at  the  greatness  of  my 
subject.  I  was  favored  with  "  liberty,"  and  had  good  attention  ;  but 
it  did  not  once  occur  to  me  how  presumptuous  I  was  in  venturing  to 
stand  in  the  place  of  the  great  Baptist  apostle  of  New  England.  Those 
who  remember  him  will  understand  me,  when  I  say,  that,  in  two  days,  I 
had  seen  enough  of  his  meek  gentleness  and  paternal  cordiality  to 
make  me  unembarrassed  by  his  presence.  At  the  close  of  the  service, 
he  put  his  hand  upon  my  head,  and  blandly  said,  "  My  young  brother, 
you  have  a  good  voice.  Go  to  Washington,  and  let  Dr.  Staughton  tutor 
it  a  while ;  and  I  guess  you  will  make  a  preacher." 

My  college  room-mate,  James  D.  Knowles,  and  myself,  were  guests 
at  Dr.  Baldwin's  in  August,  1825.  On  the  sabbath,  August  21,  Mr. 
Knowles  preached  in  the  morning,  and  Dr.  Baldwin  in  the  after- 
noon,—  his  last  sermon  in  Boston.  That  evening  Dr.  Baldwin  bade 
us  good-night,  and  retired  early,  saying  he  must  meet  Deacon  Bacheller 
and  wife,  of  Lynn,  at  the  steamboat-wharf,  by  half-past  three  the  next 
morning.  We  heard  the  carriage  at  the  door  before  daylight,  and  soon 
it  bore  away  the  good  man  and  his  wife,  to  return  the  following  week 
under  greatly  changed  conditions.  The  next  Friday  evening,  I  preached 
the  lecture  in  the  Second  Church,  and  was  introduced  to  several  mem- 
bers, who,  seven  years  afterwards,  welcomed  me  as  pastor.  I  was 
stopping  with  Deacon  Heman  Lincoln,  then  residing  in  T.ynde  Street, 
when,  at  the  hour  of  breakfast,  news  came  of  the  sudden  decease,  on 
the  29th,  of  Dr.  Baldwin,  .'it  Waterville,  Me.  A-  the  steamer, bearing 
his  remains,  came  up  the  bay.  the  bells  of  the  city  were  tolled,  and  the 


56 

crowd  on  the  wharf  was  immense.  The  impression  of  that  scene  is 
deep  and  ineffaceable  in  my  memory.  Boston  has  since  paid  funeral 
honors  to  many  a  great  man  departed  ;  but  over  no  one  have  so  many 
tears  of  affectionate  grief  been  shed.  Goodness  commands  a  deeper 
heart-homage  than  greatness. 

During  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Knowlcs  as  your  pastor,  I  was  often  in 
Boston,  and  preached  for  him  many  a  sermon.  From  our  earliest 
acquaintance  we  had  been  intimate.  Few  knew  him  so  well  as  myself. 
Hundreds  admired  him  for  his  superior  talent,  his  pure  taste,  his  lite- 
rary culture,  and  his  refinement  of  manners;  but  only  those  whom  he 
admitted  to  his  confidence  understood  the  warmth  of  his  heart.  With 
the  appearance  of  cold  reserve  and  self-satisfaction,  he  was  really  one 
of  the  most  simple-hearted  and  child-like  of  men.  Luther  Bice  once 
said  of  him,  in  my  hearing,  "  I  could  never  get  beneath  his  jacket." 
That  was  probably  the  feeling  of  many ;  but  it  was  not  true  of  all.  He 
was  far  from  demonstrative  with  his  affections ;  but  he  was  kind  in 
spirit,  and  remarkably  lenient  in  his  judgment  of  others.  I  have 
never  known  the  man  whom  I  loved  more,  or  who  proved  himself,  on 
long  acquaintance,  worthy  of  greater  respect. 

In  February,  1832, 1  assisted  him  a  whole  week  in  a  protracted  meet- 
ing. The  streets  were  almost  impassable  from  the  depth  of  the  snow ;  but 
the  attendance  was  good.  The  meetings  were  held  principally  in  the 
vestry,  and,  as  the  pastor  was  not  in  good  health,  were  chiefly  under 
my  direction.  Prayer  was  heard,  and  good  was  done ;  but  the  appar- 
ent results  were  not  large. 

Early  in  the  following  autumn,  soon  after  the  resignation  of  Mr. 
Knowles,  I  was  invited  by  a  committee  to  preach  a  few  weeks  in 
Baldwin  Place,  apparently  as  a  supply,  but,  as  I  well  understood,  with 
reference  to  something  further.  I  was  then  pastor  of  the  Middle- 
street  Church  in  Portsmouth,  N.H. ;  and  my  sense  of  justice  to  that 
dear  people  forbade  my  compliance  with  such  a  request,  and  I  simply 
declined  it.  A  few  weeks  afterwards,  an  invitation  came  from  both 
the  Church  and  society  to  become  their  pastor.  That  I  could  honor- 
ably accept;  and  my  affirmative  answer  was  promptly  given.  My  first 
sermon  was  the  weekly  lecture  in  the  vestry,  Nov.  2,  1832,  from  Ps. 
lxxxv.  6  :  "  Wilt  thou  not  revive  us  again,  that  thy  people  may  rejoice 
in  thee  ?  "  The  sermon  was  intended  as  a  key-note  of  my  ministry  in 
that  place,  as  it  had  been  in  my  previous  pastorate;  and  many  of  you 
are  aware  how  conformable  to  it  were  my  labors.  My  first  residence 
was  at  39  Charter  Street,  in  a  house  owned  and  long  occupied  by 
Deacon  Joseph  Woodcock.  My  first  funeral  was  of  a  child  of  Lewis 
Smith,  in  Prince  Street.  The  first  couple  I  married  was  Samuel  Parks 
and  Eliza  S.  Fuller,  in  Portland  Street. 


57 

At  the  time  of  my  settlement,  the  northern  part  of  the  city  contained 
very  few  foreigners.  The  nearest  Roman-Catholic  place  of  worship 
was  in  Franklin  Street.  The  population  was  dense ;  and,  though  not 
of  the  wealthier  classes,  they  were  of  the  kind  most  easily  reached  by 
evangelical  influences.  The  congregation  was  remarkably  homogeneous. 
There  were  no  aristocratic  families.  None  were  above  attending  a 
vestry  meeting.  It  was  refreshing  to  see  how  general  and  how  cordial 
was  the  feeling  of  social  equality.  To  the  prevalence  of  that  feeling 
I  attribute,  under  God,  much  of  my  success  in  that  field.  I  had  no 
temptation  to  cater  to  the  taste  of  any  particular  class  ;  all  were  about 
on  a  level ;  and  every  sermon,  like  the  scythe  of  a  mower,  might  shave 
the  ground. 

Very  few  of  my  hearers  resided  south  of  a  line  running  from  Long 
Wharf  through  State,  Court,  and  Cambridge  Streets,  to  Cambridge 
Bridge.  When  the  house  was  the  fullest,  from  1834  to  1845,  the 
great  body  of  my  people  resided  north  of  Elm  and  Portland  Streets. 
I  probably  had  then  more  Americans  every  sabbath  than  can  now  be 
found  in  the  First  Ward. 

When  I  commenced  my  labors,  the  deacons  were  Edward  Smith, 
Jacob  Hiler,  Ezra  Chamberlain,  Samuel  Beal,  Benjamin  Kimball,  and 
Benjamin  Smith,  all  good  men  and  true.  Of  these,  two  survive,  hav- 
ing their  membership  in  other  Churches.  Subsequently,  two  others  were 
elected.  I  delight  to  remember  the  many  who  were  then  active  in  the 
Church,  ready  co-workers  with  the  pastor.  Hardly  shall  I  disparage 
the  brethren  if  I  speak  in  strong  terms  of  the  piety,  steadfastness, 
and  holy  consistency  of  a  large  body  of  female  members.  Might  it 
not  seem  invidious,  I  could,  from  memory,  give  the  names  of  a  hundred, 
mostly  baptized  by  Dr.  Baldwin,  and  trained  by  him  in  doctrinal  belief 
and  in  ways  of  holy  living.  I  can  understand  the  apostle  when  he 
speaks  of  godly  women  who  labored  with  him  in  the  Gospel.  But  the 
brethren  were  not  deficient.  They  stood  by  me,  and  encouraged  me  in 
my  spiritual  work ;  and  I  remember  with  gratitude  their  zealous,  useful 
fidelities. 

When  I  entered  upon  the  charge  of  the  Church,  its  membership 
was  four  hundred  and  seventy-nine.  In  the  next  ten  years,  three  hun- 
dred and  forty-eight  were  dismissed,  mostly  to  form  new  Churches. 
Yet,  at  the  end  of  ten  years,  the  membership  was  eight  hundred  and 
sixty-one.  In  that  period  we  had  three  revivals  of  great  power.  The 
most  memorable  one  was  in  1838,  for  it  was  most  decidedly  marked  as 
the  product  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Many  still  remember  and  will  aever 
forget  that  hallowed  evening  of  Dec.  31,  1*37,  when,  under  a  sermon, 
—  the  union  lecture  of  the  four  Churches,  —  more  than  a  hundred 

8 


58 

were  awakened,  who  subsequently  related  their  experience  of  sovereign 
grace,  and  were  baptized.  The  strength  added  to  the  Church  by  that 
revival  was  greater  than  by  any  other,  except  by  the  one  in  1808—4. 

Since  my  retirement  from  the  pastorate  in  Baldwin  Place,  I  have 
often  been  called  to  officiate  at  the  (funerals  of  the  more  aged  members. 
I  could  render  the  service  with  heart.  I  knew  their  history  ;  I  knew 
the  depths  of  their  experience;  I  could  bear  intelligent  testimony  to 
their  worth.  Of  the  many  who  drew  from  me  a  promise,  that,  if  within 
reach,  I  would  perform  for  them  that  final  service,  only  a  very  few 
remain,  waiting  their  Lord's  time  to  pass  over  the  river,  and  join  the 
great  multitude  on  the  shining  shore.  The  prospect  of  re-union  with 
so  many  of  that  dear  Church  in  the  better  land  is  to  me  inspiring  and 
glorious.  My  heart  would  fain  give  their  names.  But,  no :  I  must 
forbear ;  for  I  might  omit  some  precious  ones  of  whom  the  world  was 
not  worthy.     They  are  all  registered  in  the  Lamb's  Book  of  Life. 

The  Baldwin-Place  Church,  as  I  have  known  it,  has  been  distin- 
guished for  union  of  the  body.  I  doubt  if  any  Church  of  equal  numbers 
has  been  more  closely  united  than  this  has  been  since  the  settle- 
ment of  Dr.  Baldwin,  nearly  seventy-five  years  ago.  Its  harmony  in 
all  that  period  has  seldom  been  seriously  disturbed.  Differences  of 
opinion  have  been  superficial,  and  quickly  adjusted.  The  spirit  of 
peace — "the  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace"  —  has  been 
strong  and  predominant.  If  ever  brethren  contended,  they  did  it 
awkwardly ;  for  they  knew  not  how  to  quarrel.  I  have  often  wondered 
at  the  tenacity  of  their  union.  Knowing  well  the  strength  of  the 
Democratic  element,  I  have  observed  with  admiration  the  Christian  cor- 
diality with  which  the  minority  would  submit  to  a  decision,  patiently 
acquiescing,  even  when  they  were  not  convinced.  Much  of  their  pros- 
perity has  been  owing  to  their  harmony.  Their  decline  has  not,  in  tbe 
least,  been  attributable  to  internal  causes.  They  have  held  together 
and  worked  together  in  brotherly  love. 

There  has  been  special  attention  to  corrective  discipline.  Regard 
has  been  had  to  the  purity  of  the  Church.  Scandals  have  been  promptly 
noted  and  reprehended.  Some  things  tolerated  in  other  Churches  have 
ever  been  in  this  Church  subject  to  animadversion.  If  any  may  have 
thought  her  discipline  sometimes  too  stringent,  none  have  charged  it 
with  favoritism  or  partiality.  By  acting  promptly,  she  has  cleared  her- 
self from  reproach,  and  vindicated  the  cause  of  truth  and  good  morals. 
Where  evidence  of  contrition  was  apparent,  no  Church  was  ever  more 
forgiving  or  ready  to  welcome  back  the  censured. 

The  liberality  of  the  Baldwin-Place  Church  is  worthy  of  mention. 
Knowing  the  limitations  of  their  pecuniary  ability,  I  was  often  amazed 


59 

at  the  ease  with  which  they  could  raise  generous  contributions  for  neces- 
sary purposes.  In  other  Churches,  often  the  few  give  largely,  and 
many  give  nothing.  In  Baldwin  Place,  none  gave  largely,  but  many 
gave  something;  and  thus  aggregates  frequently  exceeded  my  anticipa- 
tions. Such  giving  I  regarded  as  healthful  to  the  Church.  It  is  the 
Gospel  rule,  —  every  one  according  to  ability. 

As  I  knew  the  Church,  it  was,  by  the  grace  of  God,  eminent  for 
spirituality.  The  great  majority  of  the  members  maintained  habitual 
devotion.  Family  altars  were  numerous.  Prayer-meetings  were  such 
in  reality  as  well  as  in  name.  The  prayers  of  that  people  were  all 
along  my  comfort  and  support.  The  number  of  those  who  walked 
with  God  was  large  ;  and  I  felt  as  if  I  were  among  those  who  willingly 
were  "strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth." 

Now  that  the  Church  is  about  to  strike  its  tent  and  remove,  the  new 
pastor  can  hardly  feel  as  I  should,  were  I  the  leader  in  the  migration. 
He  cannot  understand  how  much  must  be  left  behind.  I  should  cling 
strongly  to  that  portion  of  the  precious  flock;  and  have  many  a  heart- 
ache before  I  could  bid  them  adieu.  But  Providence  has  wisely  and 
graciously  ordered  the  whole  matter.  Some  must  go;  others  cannot. 
It  is  well  that  the  leader  in  the  enterprise  is  free  to  work  for  the  good 
of  the  Christian  cause,  and,  while  he  deals  tenderly  with  all,  is  not 
unduly  restrained  by  personal  attachments.  Since  I  ceased  to  be  pastor 
in  Baldwin  Place,  I  have  scrupulously  avoided  alluring  away  its  mem- 
bers. Now  that  many  will  be  compelled  to  seek  new  homes,  how  gladly 
should  I  welcome  them  into  the  fold  where  I  am  the  overseer  ! 

Brethren  and  friends,  my  heart  is  full,  and  I  could  write  indefi- 
nitely ;  but  I  must  not  monopolize  your  attention.  I  feel  tenderly 
under  the  melting  reminiscences  called  up  by  the  occasion.  When 
quite  young,  I  read  in  Ossian,  that  "  the  memory  of  joys  past  is  like 
the  music  of  Caryl,  pleasant,  but  mournful  to  the  soul."  Such  is  my 
state  of  mind.  The  review  is  pleasant  because  it  pertains  to  joys; 
it  is  mournful  because  those  joys  are  /></■■</.  But,  blessed  be  the  God 
of  all  grace,  there  are  joys  to  come.  We  are  going,  in  rapid  succession, 
to  a  home  where  no  changes  bring  sadness  to  the  heart  ;  where  no 
separations  lacerate  the  sensibilities  ;  where  all  the  good  will  be  to- 
gether, and  remain  together  forever,  one  consolidated  Church.  Let  us 
unweariedly  perform  our  allotted  service,  and  patiently  wait  for  the 
setting  of  our  sun,  and  steadfastly  hope  for  the  promised  rest!  These 
tearful  partings  are  only  for  a  season.  The  children  of  God  never  see 
one  another  for  the  last  time.  Ami.  best  of  all.  the  .Master  say-. 
"  Yet  a  little  while,  ami  ye  shall  see  M  K." 


(50 

••  A  little  while  '"  to  wear  the  robe  of  Badness, 
And  toil  with  weary  step  through  miry  ways, 
Then  to  pour  forth  the  fragrant  oil  <>f  gladness, 

And  clasp  the  girdle  round  the  robe  of  praise. 

"  A  little  while,"  'midst  shadow  and  illusion, 
To  strive,  by  faith,  love's  mysteries  to  spell, 
Then  read  each  dark  enigma's  bright  solution, 

And  hail  sight's  verdict,  "  He  doth  all  things  well." 

Ln  fraternal  sympathy  with  you  all, 

BARON  STOW. 

Haiuuson  Avenue,  18th  February,  1865. 

Addresses  were  then  made  by  Rev.  Dr.  Neale,  Rev.  J.  Tilson,  Hon.  J. 
Warren  Merrill,  Deacon  J.  Loring,  Rev.  Henry  Hinkley,  a  former  member, 
and  others. 

At  nine  o'clock,  Rev.  Samuel  F.  Smith,  D.D.,  once  a  member,  addressed 
the  assembly,  and  read  the  following  poem. 

Dear  is  each  well-remembered  face 

Laid  up  in  Memory's  shrine; 
No  scene  will  drive  them  from  their  place, 

Or  dim  one  precious  line: 
We  linger,  chained  by  love,  to-da}-, 

Amid  the  hallowed  past, 
And  weep,  as  mournfully  we  say, 

This  hour  must  be  the  last. 

Here  were  our  early  footsteps  brought ; 

And  here,  in  riper  years, 
Our  hearts,  with  joy  or  sorrow  fraught, 

Burdened  with  doubts  and  fears,  • 

Like  rivers  swollen  with  floods  in  spring, 

Gushed  with  repentant  grief, 
Or  felt  the  power  of  grace  to  bring 

The  needed,  sweet  relief. 

Here  pilgrims  came,  with  weary  feet, 

And  sat  in  pious  trust, 
And  left  —  their  pilgrimage  complete  — 

The  memory  of  the  just. 
We  linger  in  the  places  where 

Their  honored  footsteps  trod, 
And  trace  the  path  of  faith  and  prayer, 

By  which  they  passed  to  God. 

Here  we  have  pledged  the  solemn  vow. 

To  him  who  reigns  above; 
Here  learned  in  humble  faith  to  bow 

To  him  whose  name  is  love; 


61 

Here  have  we  stood,  a  grateful  band, 
Nor  sought  such  bonds  to  part; 

Dear  every  brother's  faithful  hand, 
Each  sister's  loving  heart. 

As  pilgrims  —  doomed  awhile  to  roam 

On  some  far-distant  shore, 
Returned  to  seek  their  early  home, 

Their  well-known  cottage-door  — 
Mourn  for  the  friends  of  earlier  times, 

For  many  an  honored  head; 
Some  fled,  long  since,  to  other  climes, 

Some  sleeping  with  the  dead ; 

Some  rifled  of  their  youthful  bloom, 

White  rose-leaves  on  their  brow; 
Some  shadowed  o'er  by  clouds  of  gloom, — 

(Alas,  how  altered  now!) 
We  seek  the  friends  to  memory  dear — ■ 

How  many  seek  in  vain ! 
Oh  !  who  will  bring  our  loved  ones  here, 

Just  as  they  were,  again  ? 

Gone,  but  not  lost ;  in  nobler  spheres, 

Redeemed  and  saved  they  shine; 
Each  hand  a  palm  of  glory  bears, 

Each  brow,  a  light  divine; 
And  we  on  earth,  and  they  above, 

Led  by  one  Shepherd's  hand, 
Encircled  by  one  wreath  of  love, 

Form  still  one  blessed  band. 

'Tis  done :  we  leave  the  hallowed  ground, 

But  keep  what  grace  has  done ; 
The  rushing  tide  of  life  has  found 

New  victories  to  be  won. 
But,  temple  where  the  saints  have  prayed, 

Where  God  has  deigned  to  dwell,  — 
How  shall  we  let  thy  glory  fade? 

How  shall  we  say  "  Farewell  "  ? 

How  shall  we  leave  the  sacred  shrine, 

Where  once  our  fathers  trod? 
How  darken  here  the  light  divine 

Of  those  who  walked  with  God? 
With  quivering  lip,  with  tearful  eye, 

With  calm  but  bleeding  heart, 
We  sit  in  mournful  sympathy, 

And  breathe  the  word,  "  Depart."' 

But  yonder  springs  in  joyous  light, 

A  temple  high  and  pure: 
The  I  m|  in  raiment  bright, 

Shall  leave  its  court*  no  more. 


62 

No  night  shall  darken  o'er  its  wall, 

No  sigh  with  anthems  blend, 
No  mourner  weep,  no  shadow  fall: 

Its  worship  never  cud. 

There  they  that  sowed  in  faith  and  tears 

Shall  reap  in  endless  joy; 
And  saints  from  all  the  varied  years 

Shall  find  one  glad  employ; 
Cemented  by  one  bond  of  love, 

Striking  one  heavenly  strain, 
Our  members  all  shall  meet  above, 

Baldwin-Place  Church  again. 


Henry  S.  Washburn,  Esq.,  thou  arose,  and  said  he  was  not  a  past  member, 
but  his  heart  was  touched  by  the  spirit  of  the  occasion ;  and  closed  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

We  are  waiting,  while  we  linger, 

For  one  tender  farewell  more; 

We  arc  waiting,  while  the  echoes 

Now  are  dying  on  the  shore; 
We  are  waiting,  as  the  cable 

Now  is  loosed  from  off  the  strand, 
'Twixt  the  altar  and  the  portals, 
We  are  waiting,  hand  in  hand. 

Through  the  rustling  of  the  pinions 

Of  angelic  hosts  we  go, — 
They  who  bore  with  us  the  burden 

Of  this  weary  march  below. 
Clinging  to  the  cross,  still  closer, 

While  our  yearning  bosoms  swell, — 
We  will  whisper,  oh!  beloved, 

Now,  our  parting  word,  Fakewell! 

The  concluding  prayer  was  offered  by  the  very  venerable  Deacon  Loring, 
for  sixty-one  years  a  worshipper  on  this  spot;  and  the  benediction  was  pro- 
nounced by  the  pastor.  The  whole  occasion  was  one  of  sweet  and  tender 
interest,  and  made  memorable  the  last  days  of  Baldwin-Place  Church  in  its 
early  home. 


Press  of  George  C.  Rand  «.  Avery,  No.  3  Coruhill. 


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